Van Dusen Mercantile is a historic landmark spanning half a city block in Astoria, Oregon - the Oldest American Settlement West of the Rockies.

Current Operations

We are honored to host Astoria Public Library’s temporary home during its renovation! Library visitors can access services via the entrance at 1512 Duane Street, which is the southwest corner of the property diagonally across the street from Blue Scorcher Bakery & Fort George.

For library hours and information, please visit: www.astorialibrary.org

The portion of the property facing Commercial Street will be undergoing a year-long transformation and will soon be home to providers of vital services to the local community. Stay tuned for details!

Our History

The name Van Dusen Mercantile is a tribute to the Van Dusen family’s humble start as merchants in the wilds of the Oregon Territory and a vehicle to carry that pioneering legacy forward for future generations.

In 1849, wagon train pioneers Adam & Caroline Van Dusen established a general store by the same name in downtown Astoria. According to Caroline’s diary, Van Dusen Mercantile was “the first store here in which goods were sold from shelves, the Hudson Bay Company having always sold its goods from the boxes.” Over the decades, the family ventured into various other industries, including insurance, soft drink bottling and hospitality, but the core family values and commitment to community service have always remained intact.

By 1953, when Adam & Caroline’s great-great grandson, Willis, was born, the family company had earned the distinction of “Oregon’s Oldest Business,” a designation it holds to this day. Young Willis would go on to become the patriarch of the family and a pillar of the community, serving on Astoria’s City Council for over 30 years, including 24 years as Mayor of Astoria.

Today, Willis L. Van Dusen Sr. and his children, Willis Jr. and Trudy, are paving the way for this historic landmark to serve as a beacon of that same pioneering spirit.