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Oregon County
Clatsop County, Oregon
Astoria - where Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Ocean - from Fort Clatsop National Memorial (the site of the Corps of Discovery's winter camp of 1805-1806 - where Lewis and Clark and their party endured a cold, wet Oregon winter after completing the first American overland crossing to the Pacific - the reconstructed fort at Fort Clatsop National Memorial marks the westernmost point of the most consequential American exploration expedition) to the Astoria Column (the 125-foot painted column on Coxcomb Hill overlooking the Columbia River mouth - one of the most dramatic viewpoints on the Oregon coast - celebrating the explorers, fur traders, and settlers who made Astoria the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies).
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Office: Clatsop County Emergency Management – 91400 Neacoxie Street, Bldg 7315, Warrenton, OR 97146 | (503) 325-8645; Director Justin Gibbs, [email protected]; developed the Multijurisdictional Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (MJNHMP) covering Clatsop County, Astoria, Warrenton, Gearhart, Seaside, and Cannon Beach; offers ClatsopALERTS! emergency notification sign-up.
Sheriff/non-emergency: Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office – PO Box 658, Astoria, OR 97103 (street address: 1190 SE 19th, Warrenton, OR 97146) | (503) 325-8635 | Fax: (503) 325-8675 | Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-101 and US-30 serve Astoria, the county seat, at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Notes: Clatsop County uses a zone-based rural addressing system (Zones 2-4) – contact the Sheriff’s Office for addressing corrections.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Clatsop County Community Development – 800 Exchange Street, Suite 410, Astoria, OR 97103 | (503) 325-1000 | Fax: (503) 325-8325.
Notes: Clatsop County is genuinely, nationally significant as the site of Fort Clatsop, the actual 1805-06 winter encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition at the end of their journey to the Pacific. Today the site is preserved as Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, 92343 Fort Clatsop Road, Astoria, OR 97103 | (503) 861-2471 (rangers available 9 AM-5 PM PST). Astoria itself, founded 1811, is recognized as the first permanent U.S. settlement west of the Rocky Mountains – distinct from, but often confused with, Oregon City’s separate “first incorporated city” distinction. Astoria also has a genuine, documented connection to the film industry (Oregon Film Museum, downtown murals).
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Clatsop County Veteran Services Program – 364 9th St., Astoria, OR 97103 | (971) 308-1045 | [email protected]; CVSO Carl Wiley, (503) 440-9411; delivered in partnership with Clatsop Community Action; free services for veterans and their spouses, survivors, and children.
Federal: Astoria VA Clinic – (503) 220-8262 ext. 52593; no emergency services on-site.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Astoria: Astoria Public Library – 450 10th Street, Astoria, OR 97103 | (503) 325-7323 | Hours: Tue 10 AM-7 PM, Wed 10 AM-7 PM, Thu-Fri 10 AM-6 PM, Sat 10 AM-4 PM, closed Sun-Mon; Library Director Suzanne Harold.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (Fort Clatsop) is the county’s most nationally significant historic attraction. The Columbia River Estuary and Astoria’s historic waterfront are also major draws.
Notes: The genuine Lewis and Clark winter-encampment heritage – the literal end of their westward journey – is among the most historically significant facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Clatsop County Assessor – confirm current phone via clatsopcounty.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
County: Clatsop County Animal Control and Shelter – 1315 S.E. 19th Street, Warrenton, OR 97146 | (503) 861-0737; responds to stray/nuisance dog complaints, dog bites, and animal abuse reports in unincorporated areas; issues pet licenses; closed for lunch, closed Sunday/Monday/holidays; adoptions by appointment only.
Nonprofit: Clatsop Animal Assistance, Inc. – Warrenton, OR; volunteer/fundraising support for the shelter.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Clatsop County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via clatsopcounty.gov.
NOTES: Clatsop County is the fourth county in the Oregon v2 redo’s first batch (Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook). The genuine Lewis and Clark Fort Clatsop heritage – the actual winter encampment site – is among the most historically significant facts covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Clatsop County
Clatsop County is where Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific – Fort Clatsop’s reconstructed winter camp marks the westernmost point of the most consequential American exploration, and Astoria – the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies – overlooks the Columbia River mouth from the Astoria Column’s 125-foot painted perch.
Astoria (the county seat, population ~10,000) is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most historically rich small cities – the Victorian homes on the hills, the Columbia River Maritime Museum, and the Goonies filming location draw visitors year-round.
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Clatsop County Assessor at 820 Exchange Street, Suite 210, Astoria, OR 97103, phone 503-325-8522. OR Measure 50 limits assessed value increases.
Courts & Legal
Clatsop County Circuit Court at 749 Commercial Street, Astoria, OR 97103, phone 503-325-8555, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
820 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8511
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Clatsop County Circuit Court, Astoria (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Astoria, founded in 1811, is the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains, with significant historical resources at the Clatsop County Historical Society/Heritage Museum.
Local societies
Clatsop County Historical Society confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Clatsop County Circuit Court 749 Commercial Street, Astoria, OR 97103 (503) 325-8555
Clatsop County is in the far northwestern corner of Oregon along the Pacific coast, seated in Astoria – Oregon’s oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Oregon has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code, maintaining its own independent probate code under ORS Chapters 111 through 117. Probate is handled in the probate department of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent lived (ORS 111.085). Oregon does not offer a separate unsupervised/informal probate track – its “simple estate” process and formal administration are the two paths.
Simple Estate Affidavit (ORS 114.505–114.560) – available when the total fair market value of the estate is $275,000 or less, made up of no more than $75,000 in personal property and no more than $200,000 in real property. The affidavit (“Affidavit of Claiming Successor”) cannot be filed until at least 30 days after death and must be filed with the clerk of the probate court. It requires a detailed asset description, a list of known creditors, and notice that claims are barred unless presented within 4 months of filing.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates that exceed the simple estate limits or don’t otherwise qualify. A personal representative is appointed by the court and administers the estate under ongoing court oversight.
Step 2: filing for administration
A petition for probate is filed in the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent resided (or, for simple estates, an Affidavit of Claiming Successor is filed with the probate clerk at least 30 days after death).
If a will exists, it’s filed with the petition or affidavit.
For full administration, the court appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice is given to heirs, devisees, and creditors; claims against the estate must generally be presented within the statutory period.
The personal representative (or affiant, for simple estates) inventories assets, pays valid debts and taxes, and distributes what remains according to the will or Oregon’s intestacy laws.
Full administration closes once a final account is filed and approved by the court; simple estates close once assets are distributed and any required notices are filed.
What it costs
Filing fees vary; check with Clatsop County directly for current fees.
Oregon imposes a state estate tax on estates exceeding approximately $1,000,000, with rates ranging from 10% to 16%. No state inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
4667 Duane St, Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8635
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
820 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8511
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
2203 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8500
Department of Human Services
2203 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8400
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Clatsop County Public Health – confirm current contact via clatsopcounty.gov; runs a Tobacco Prevention and Education Program and coordinates state shelter funding for homelessness response.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Astoria
Population: 41,000
Established: 1844
Tier: 3
Public Records
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