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

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 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. Van Dusen Mercantile will soon be home to providers of vital services to the local community and will also serve as an incubator for local artists and makers of all kinds.

The name Van Dusen Mercantile is a tribute to the 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.

#vandusenmercantile #astoriaoregon #exploreastoria