Select a county or agency to see its history and available records at the Oregon State Archives.

County histories trace the establishment and evolution of the 27 county governments of Oregon Territory. These histories also include the Washington counties which originated as part of the Oregon Territory. Washington Territory was created on March 2, 1853 and absorbed 8 of Oregon's original counties.

Agency history examines the establishment of offices and duties during the early years of Oregon's government. See also Historical County Offices and Duties​. 

The listings of the Oregon State Archives' record inventories follow each description. The inventory for each county and agency is arranged alphabetically by series title. Each series description includes a title and a description of how records are used (function); types of records included in each category (physical content); type of information found (informational content); significant changes to format, creator, or content; inventory cut-off dates; and any restrictions a category may have regarding public access. Contents of the records, or the format of records may vary. Notes are included to indicate differences.

See User's Guide​ for more information on reading records inventories.