Geographic Place Names

The Encyclopedia Cascadia place name database contains official and unofficial place names for all of British Columbia , Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State.


Place names search:


A Unique View across BC, ID, OR and WA

The Encyclopedia Cascadia place name database contains official and unofficial place names for all of British Columbia , Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) provided all official place names for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State localities.

The BC Geographical Names Office (BCGNO) provided all official place names for the Province of British Columbia on this site. Additionally, resources from StatsCan for Standard Geographical Classification reference materials have been incorporated to provide a uniformity to place name data across countries.

The goal for Encyclopedia Cascadia is to provide regional historians and researchers with a single pane of glass (SPOG) when searching for geographic feature and place name information of the Pacific Northwest. And as historical and indigenous place names are discovered, they are added to the database. As of 2023, the place name database contains 145,431 geographic features and localities with an overall total of 180,270 place names of the Pacific Northwest: past & present.

The next planned refresh for U.S. and Canadian Names will be Q2 2024.


Database Statistics

Here are the number of geographic feature entires updated in the past 30 days.

  • 1,724 entries have been updated in the past 30 days
  • 27,000+ - Idaho
  • 29,000+ - Washington State
  • 38,000+ - British Columbia
  • 49,000+ - Oregon
  • 145,431 total geographic features
  • 180,270 total place name entries

External Resources Added Recently

Records are being updated and added on a periodic basis. See the listing below containing the most recent updates that have been added to the enclopedia.

British Columbia Regional Digitized History (BCRDH)

The University of British Columbia's Okanagan Campus Library has cultivated regional partnerships with community memory institutions across B.C.'s southern interior and enhanced access to archival records and primary sources through the British Columbia Regional Digitized History (BCRDH) project. The project's primary purpose has been to connect UBCO Library's Special Collections and Archives program to community repositories in the pursuit of creating a shared digital portal compiling a wide range of local historical resources including photographs, oral histories, video, maps, and newspapers.

WEB LINK
British Columbia

Kirkland Heritage Society

The Kirkland Heritage Society’s mission is to identify historic resources; to encourage their preservation; to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the history and heritage of Kirkland and its people; and to promote public involvement in and appreciation of its heritage and cultures.

WEB LINK
City of Kirkland

West Vancouver Archives and Collections

The West Vancouver Archives collects, preserves, and provides meaningful access to the records that tell the story of West Vancouver.

WEB LINK
British Columbia · District of West Vancouver

360 Riot Walk - Vancouver, British Columbia

360 Riot Walk is an interactive walking tour of the 1907 Anti-Asian Riots in Vancouver, the ancestral territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tseil-Waututh people. It utilizes 360 video technology to trace the history and route of the mob that attacked the Chinese Canadian and Japanese Canadian communities following the demonstration and parade organized by the Asiatic Exclusion League in Vancouver. Participants are brought into the social and political environment of the time where racialized communities were targeted through legislated as well as physical acts of exclusion and violence. The soundtrack is available in four languages of the local residents of the period: English, Cantonese, Japanese and Punjabi.

WEB LINK
British Columbia · City of Vancouver

City of Vancouver Archives' database

Welcome to the City of Vancouver Archives' database, the system for searching descriptions of the Archives’ holdings. You can view records by visiting the Archives in person; digitized or born-digital material, if available, may be viewed and downloaded directly from the database.

WEB LINK
British Columbia · City of Vancouver

Vancouver Island Local History Society

Vancouver Island Local History Society’s Mission: a) To promote, encourage, and engage the study of local and regional history within the communities of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. b) To develop and support local history initiatives that take a critical and exploratory approach to Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations. c) To develop and support projects that are inclusive, diverse, and representative of communities in the past and present. d) To act as a facilitator of local efforts that build relationships between organizations and communities and situate history as a foundational or key element. Includes a wiki type resource of transcribed documents from the Point Ellice House & Museum collection.

WEB LINK
British Columbia · City of Victoria · Vancouver Island

Japanese American Museum of Oregon

Formerly known as the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon at Naito Center is a venue for culture and research as well as an invaluable resource for exploring Nikkei experiences and their role in Oregon’s multicultural community. Our permanent exhibit space highlights Issei immigration and early life in Oregon, Nihonmachi (Japantown), life after Executive Order 9066 (including the Portland Assembly Center), and contemporary Nikkei life.

WEB LINK
Oregon · Multnomah County · City of Portland

Black Washington

Black Washington – the first app and educational platform dedicated to exploring the remarkable statewide stories and rich cultural legacy of Washington State’s Black community. Black Washington is an award-winning app and educational platform that explores the vibrant statewide history of Black Washingtonians through captivating stories, influential icons, and significant landmarks. Black Washington features over 60 entries, with plans for adding more over time. Each entry provides a glimpse into people, places, and moments that shaped Black history across the state and provides links to resources where users can explore this history in more detail. Engaging multimedia elements such as photographs, ephemera, maps, music, videos, essays, and oral histories bring the entries to life. In addition, educators will have access to curriculum materials, allowing them to integrate the app into their classrooms. WSHS encourages people across Washington to contribute their Black history stories, landmarks, and icons, f

WEB LINK
Washington

Coast Salish Place Names of the San Juan Islands

An ongoing project of a present day look at historic Coast Salish locations throughout the San Juan Islands and Strait of Georgia compiled by the Samish Indian Nation

WEB LINK
San Juan County · Skagit County · Whatcom County

Makah Days

During Makah Days, the members of the Makah Tribe of Neah Bay gather and reunite with the members who have since moved away, to commemorate thousands of years of the Makah ancient culture and the anniversary of becoming citizens of the United States. We welcome everyone to join us, as we celebrate with neighboring tribes from Washington State and First Nations members from Vancouver Island in Canada. Some of our family members come from Vancouver Island since we are closely related to the Nuu-chah-nulth.

WEB LINK
Neah Bay · Makah Air Force Station (historical) · Makah Tribal Fire Department · Makah National Salmon Hatchery · Makah Tribal Ambulance · Neah Bay Ambulance Service · Makah Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency · Makah Cultural and Research Center · Makah Peaks · Makah Marina · Makah Bay · Neah Bay

 

Political Boundaries

 

Recently Updated Geographic Features

Records are being updated and added on a periodic basis. See the listing below containing the most recent updates that have been added to the enclopedia.