Discover the Storied Streets of Echo’s Historic Downtown

The town of Echo, Oregon, has seen centuries of history unfold. On this walking tour, you’ll find out how the area was stewarded by the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes, then further shaped by westward expansion, before becoming the charming tree-lined haven it is known as today.

The tour follows a circular route and starts at Fort Henrietta Park along the Umatilla River. As you meander through Echo’s compact downtown, you’ll pass historic buildings dating from its boom years. Your narrator – speaking as if from the 1880s when the railroad transformed Echo – will guide you back in time to meet characters who shaped the community, like Native cattlemen, Oregon Trail travelers, and Chinese railroad workers.

Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:

• Learn the Native name for the area and find out how these tribes have carefully managed the land for time immemorial
• Stand at the site where Oregon Trail wagons crossed the Umatilla River
• Explore the contributions of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and German immigrants to the community
• Hear about Echo’s unusual economic history, from jack rabbit canneries to wool production, that once made it the largest shipping point for sheep in Oregon
• Discover how the town became Oregon’s smallest Tree City USA, thanks to the determination of early female civic leaders
• Visit the ornate Koontz Building and the nearby Koontz House, home to the town’s founding family

On this 60-minute tour through a town that’s preserved its past while adapting to changing times, your imagination will drift to an era when hitching posts still lined the streets.

The town’s walkable layout makes this an accessible tour for most visitors, though some sidewalks are uneven. To learn more about the accessibility of this tour, please visit this site

This tour was developed in partnership with the City of Echo.