Nestled on the north shore of the Columbia River Gorge at Hood River in Washington State is the small town of Bingen. Bingen is located in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area on the west end of Klickitat County. It is one of only three incorporated towns in rural Klickitat County and is situated along the historic Lewis and Clark trail.

Bingen was first platted by Theodor Suksdorf in 1892. Suksdorf was a native of Germany and immigrated with his family to the United States when he was a child. He named the new town Bingen because it reminded him of Bingen-am-Rhine, located on a wide bend of the Rhine River in Germany which is a river that looks very much like the Columbia River here. Bingen was eventually incorporated in 1924. Several years ago the two towns became sister cities and visitors from that part of Germany occasionally visit Bingen and mail letters and postcards back home with a Bingen, Washington postmark.

During the early settlement of this area, another family, the Jewetts, located their farm on the hillside above Bingen in what is now known as the town of White Salmon. The Jewetts and the Suksdorfs did not get along well and this led to a long lasting feud between the two families and towns. The feud was said to have begun over a disagreement about the placement of the post office. And when the rail line went through, neither town would give in on the name of the railroad station, so it was named Bingen-White Salmon after both. It is the only railroad station in the nation that is named after two towns.

A few years ago, the City of Bingen started a renewal project and for a short time, the streets were all torn up while the overhead utilities were all placed underground. The contractors put in new wider sidewalks and planted rows of shade trees and placed park benches here and there. The streets were freshly paved and new crosswalks painted. The town got a new city hall and fire department building. The facelift has really made a big difference, boosted community pride and commercial investment in the area has significantly improved as a result.

As of 2007 Bingen had a population of 663; but this number represents only the residential population of the small town. Bingen is home to three of the largest private employers in Klickitat County, the SDS Lumber Company, the Insitu Group and the Underwood Fruit Company. It is also home to the Port of Klickitat, Dickey Farms and many other smaller businesses. This small town is a bustling center of business and enterprise during the working hours of each day.

SDS Lumber Company, Underwood Fruit and Dickey Farms have each been in business here for generations and have provided a long sense of stability to Bingen over the years. Recently, the Insitu Group, a specialty small airplane manufacturer, expanded it’s operation to the downtown core of Bingen and has m ore than 100 full time employees.

The Port of Klickitat is also located in the Bingen Point Business Park. After the construction of the Bonneville Dam was completed in 1937, it became possible for barges to get up the Columbia River to Bingen and the neighboring communities, so the Port of Klickitat was formed. The Port of Klickitat has three districts and Bingen is a part of District #1 along with White Salmon, Columbia and Burdoin Heights. District #1 was approved and formed in 1944. The Port of Klickitat owns the Bingen Marina which provides access to the Columbia River.

Bingen is served by Skyline Hospital and the Mid Columbia Family Medical Center, both located just up the hill on a bluff above town in nearby White Salmon.

Klickitat County is about 84 miles wide east to west and varies from 24 to 36 miles deep north to south. It is bordered on the north by the Mt. Adams Wilderness Area in Skamania County above the NW corner of Klickitat County and by the Yakima Indian Reservation and Yakima County. The Columbia River and the State of Oregon are to the south, Skamania County is to the west and Benton County is to the east. The climate stretches from dense Douglas fir forests with lots of rain and snow in the NW corner and transitions through Pine and Oak forests to lush pasture land and vineyards eventually to a drier desert environment with sage brush and rocks in the far eastern areas. The elevations change from a few feet above sea level to about 3000 feet or more in places. The climate, wildlife and vegetation are as varied and abundant as the terrain. The area has many opportunities for hunting, fishing, rafting, and biking and all kinds of snow and water sports. Bingen, Washington is at the heart of it all.

Bingen is perfectly situated for easy access to all the year round recreation available in the national scenic area. Visitors and residents can experience Class IV and V whitewater rafting on the nearby White Salmon River, fish for salmon and steelhead from three nearby rivers, from Drano Lake at the mouth of the Little White Salmon River, from the White Salmon River and from the Klickitat River, all three with wild and scenic river designations and corridors. Go windsurfing and kite sailing on the Columbia River with popular launch points at the Bingen Marina, or Swell City and The Hatch nearby. Launching from the top of Burdoin Mountain above the town of Bingen and catching the warm updrafts makes this a popular place for hang-gliding enthusiasts who sail down and land at the Bingen Point Marina. In the winter, the Mt. Adams recreation area offers Cross Country Skiing trails easily accessed from Trout Lake. Just across the river in Oregon you’ll find several popular downhill skiing destinations including Mt Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge and Skibowl. There is always something fun to do here in the gorge.

For visitors to Bingen the historic Bingen Haus is a traditional European house featuring seven guest rooms. This house was originally built in 1860 by the early pioneers Eratus and Mary Joslyn who raised fruits and vegetables for the gold rush in Oregon and Idaho, including the then young town of Portland. They were also responsible for naming the White Salmon River. Later residents of the Bingen Haus were Theodor Suksdorf and his family, who expanded the home.

Another historic place to stay in Bingen is the Bingen School Inn. It was built in 1938, and was the school for Bingen and White Salmon until the 1970's. In 1988 it was turned into a hostel type inn. It offers both private rooms and dorm style accommodations. It is common for young people coming to the area for outdoor activities to stay there.

The Gorge Heritage Museum is located in Bingen in the old Bingen Congregational Church. It features Native American artifacts from Western Klickitat County. It also has a treasury of antiques and different things from the pioneer days. This museum is open from late May through September.

There are several local establishments well worth the visit while in Bingen, for shopping or drinking and dining. Among these is the Gorge Wine Merchants. They feature the best selection of local wines from the gorge area.

Many people come to Bingen to seek out one particular establishment and that is the Antiques and Oddities store on the main street. They have all kinds of interesting stuff from all the corners of the world and their inventory is constantly changing. You can browse through large pieces of old wood furniture, English leaded glass windows and old wrought iron gates, Chinese armoires and Tiffany style reproduction lamps, wood fireplace mantles and art deco chairs. You can find old books, records, jewelry, trinkets and antiques galore. Don’t go in there if you’re driving a pick up or just got paid, because you won’t be able to resist buying something. It’s that good.

Each year in September, the town of Bingen marks the end of summer with the Huckleberry Festival in Daubenspeck Park. Following in the German traditions of the founding settlers, you can expect to find some of the best bratwurst and sauerkraut, a beer garden for sampling the local brews, local musicians and dancers performing on the open stage in the park, Huckleberry pie by the slice or whole, Huckleberry ice cream and all kinds of other treats to eat and enjoy. The fun starts on a Friday afternoon, continues with a parade down Steuben Street on Saturday morning and keeps going ‘til Sunday evening, three days of celebration you don’t want to miss.

Come to Bingen and discover this small town with all its history for yourself.