The City of White Salmon is an attractive town sitting on the bluff overlooking the Columbia River. It is located just up the hill to the north of the small town of Bingen. White Salmon is also located 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. About 59 miles to the west is Portland, Oregon and to the east, The Dalles, Oregon and Goldendale, Washington.

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 elevation changes 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.

According to the census in the year 2006 approximately 2,353 people live in White Salmon. The first settlers of White Salmon were Erasrus and Mary Joslyn originally from Massachusetts. Their plan was to settle in The Dalles, but because of the persistent winds, they decided to settle in the White Salmon Flats instead in 1853. White Salmon was officially incorporated on June 3, 1907 and has just recently celebrated its one hundredth birthday with the Centennial Celebration at Rhinegarten Park. A time capsule was placed in the Park to mark the historical event.

The City was first named by the Lewis and Clark Expedition after watching the nearby river swarming with salmon that had turned white after spawning.

Out of the entire city of White Salmon, no company supplies as many jobs as the SDS Lumber Company. White Salmon Citizens also are employed at the Underwood Fruit Company, and the Insitu Group. Each one of these has each been in business here for generations and have provided many jobs to White Salmon over the years. Recently, the Insitu Group, a specialty small airplane manufacturer, expanded its operation to downtown Bingen and in White Salmon. It now has more than 200 full time employees.

The Bingen / White Salmon railroad station can be found just down the hill in Bingen. Originally the two towns never could agree on the name of the station, so it became the nation’s first railroad station to be names after two towns.

Columbia High School, located just outside of town, provides 9th thru 12th graders in the area an education, although the school district also draws students from the neighboring communities of Bingen, Underwood, Snowden, Husum, and BZ Corners. Columbia High School is an accredited school in the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. White Salmon residents also attend Henkle Middle School, and Whitson Elementary.

Both White Salmon and Bingen are served by the Skyline Hospital and the Mid Columbia Family Medical Center, located just up the hill on hwy 141. In 1998 a 2.7 million dollar renovation took place adding several services including a new surgery suite and emergency room.

White Salmon is found in a transition zone between the dry continental climate of the inner-mountain region and the marine-influenced climate west of the Cascade Mountain range. The Columbia River Gorge acts as a funnel for the differing air pressures on either side of the Cascade Mountains, resulting in heavy westerly winds in the summer and cold easterly winds in the winter. The area has many opportunities for hunting, fishing, rafting, and biking and not to mention windsurfing. The area is known as the windsurfing capital of the world. Windsurfers and Kite boarders from around the world come here to experience the best the sport has to offer. From breathtaking acrobatics to hair raising speeds the Gorge is the place to be every summer when the hot weather and the winds come together. You can windsurf on the Columbia or take a rafting or kayaking trip on either of the White Salmon, Little White Salmon, or Klickitat Rivers. Just across the river in Oregon you’ll find several popular downhill skiing destinations including Mt Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge and Skibowl. Last year, White Salmon’s very own Vic Wild won his second U.S. junior men's title for snowboarding in the 2006 Canadian Open.

The White Salmon Grange was established in 1890 but the Grange Hall building itself wasn’t constructed until 1934. In 1976, White Salmon and Bingen decided on a Rhineland theme to promote tourism, and many building exteriors were altered to reflect this theme. The clock tower of the current White Salmon City Hall holds 14 Glockenspiel bells and was dedicated in 1977. After many years of silence, they have been repaired by local Glassworks owner, Robin Knoke, and now chime again.

Robin and Ellen Knoke are the founders of the local glassworks shop. Artists from all over come and use the shop and sell their artwork in the gallery. White Salmon Glassworks offers classes teaching glass blowing and fusing.

A great place to stay while visiting is the Inn of White Salmon. It offers comfortable rooms and a peaceful environment to relax and enjoy your visit. The Inn has been open since 1937 and has recently taken on new management. Within a year, the Inn is planned to be fully renovated and possibly re-opened with a new name.

The western edge of Klickitat County lies at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains where the White Salmon River flows into the mighty Columbia. This area of the gorge has many rainbows and is now commonly known as the place “where the rain meets the sun” by the local residents. This saying comes from the observations of Sam Hill, another early settler of Klickitat County who built a beautiful mansion for his wife Mary on the bluffs overlooking the Columbia River upstream about 35 miles east of White Salmon. That mansion is now Maryhill Museum and it is open to the public usually from March to November and is well worth exploring. About 5 minutes drive east of the museum, visitors can also view a full size replica of England’s Stonehenge, which was built as a World War II memorial. The Gorge Heritage Museum is located down the hill 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.

Come visit White Salmon and enjoy the area’s beautiful climate while taking full advantage of all it has to offer.