A Short History Of Orenco Station In Hillsboro, OR

Orenco Station is a hidden gem in Hillsboro, OR. This safe, friendly suburb sits just outside Portland, welcoming visitors with open arms. Our neighborhood, a planned town center and home to The Orenco Station Hotel, features a charming main street with restaurants, salons, and fitness boutiques.

Several parks surround us. Central Park, just steps from The Orenco’s front door, offers open green spaces. Cornell Creek Park features a dog park, bocce ball court, play area for kids, and stationary ping-pong tables. Walk the main loop and enjoy a latte from Ava Roasteria, sip on bubble tea from ShareTea, or play trivia at Mazama Brewing. You can walk to the grocery store, farmers’ market, or yoga class. Orenco Station is simply idyllic.

A Thoughtfully Designed Community

If our neighborhood seems too good to be true, that’s because it was planned that way. Orenco Station was designed as a pedestrian-friendly, high-density community. Its story begins with two Canadian immigrants in 1908.

The Oregon Nursery Company

Malcolm McDonald and Archibald McGill purchased The Oregon Nursery in Salem, OR. In 1906, they decided to relocate the company. They found 1,200 acres of land between Hillsboro and Aloha. By 1908, they renamed their acquisition The Oregon Nursery Company. The name Orenco comes from Ore-N-Co, a shortened version of the company’s name.

During peak seasons, hundreds of workers lived in Orenco. McDonald and McGill saw an opportunity to create a company town where workers could live, work, and raise families.

The Railway & Growth

To support the community, McDonald and McGill granted right-of-way to the Oregon Electric Railway. This provided Orenco with commuter services and easy transportation.

At its peak in 1914-1915, the Oregon Nursery Company was the largest nursery on the West Coast, according to the Oregon Encyclopedia. However, like many American businesses, the company struggled during The Great Depression. Eventually, it shut down, leaving the land vacant for decades.

Orenco Station, Today

In 1997, plans were made to revitalize Orenco Station alongside the development of the light-rail MAX line. Today, The Orenco Station Hotel continues the vision McDonald and McGill had for a welcoming, community-centered space.

When Margie Waltz and Richard Lyons purchased the hotel, their dream was to create a beautiful, elevated space while preserving Orenco’s close-knit charm. Margie’s family roots run deep in Forest Grove. Her dedication to the community includes real estate, service in the Hillsboro Rotary, and involvement in the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce and Hillsboro Parade.

Visit Orenco Station

What will you discover on your next trip to Orenco Station? We’d love to be part of your journey. Book your stay at our boutique hotel—located in wildly charming Brownstones—at theorenco.com.

Book direct today - 10% off

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Service Animal Agreement

This policy has been developed in partnership with the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association and in compliance with the Department of Justice Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations to ensure that all of our guests have an enjoyable stay.

Service animals are welcome at TheOrenco! In compliance with the Department of Justice ADA regulations, a service animal is defined as “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.” The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) “companion” and “comfort” dogs are not service animals protected by the ADA and are subject to our standard hotel pet policy (allowed only in Courtyard King rooms, $20/night charge). If you have a pet that is not a service animal, we respectfully request that you honor the good work of service animals by not claiming that your pet is a service animal.

Our Policy

  • Service animals must be housebroken.
  • Service animals must never be left unattended in guest rooms.
  • When a service animal is outside of the guest room:
    ○ It must always be under the control of its handler, and
    ○ It must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use such a device or use of it would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler’s control (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means).
  • It is grounds for eviction if a service animal is threatening people, barking,
    or otherwise out of control and/or creating a disturbance, and the dog’s
    handler does not take prompt and effective action to control it.

By signing this document, I acknowledge and agree to all the policies above. I also
agree that should any of these policies be violated, I may be subject to immediate
eviction without any refund. I further agree to reimburse the property for any
damages caused by my service animal. I authorize charges to my payment card for
any such liability and/or damages, and I acknowledge that I shall in any event
remain personally liable for the same.

Pet Policy

At TheOrenco, we’re happy to welcome furry friends! To ensure that all of our guests have an enjoyable and relaxing experience, we ask that you take the time to read through our Pet Policy and adhere to the following rules. For service animals, please review our Service Animal Policy.

Our pet fee is $20/night, and pets are only allowed in our Courtyard King hotel rooms. With your pet fee, we provide the use of a dog bed, dog bowl, dog towel (for muddy paws), and a few yummy dog treats from Trader Joe’s!

  • Please be a responsible pet owner and clean up after your pet. Let us know if you need supplies—the park is just 73 feet away!
  • Please utilize the complimentary dog bed, not our fancy linens, for your pet to lay. Allowing your pet to lay on our linens may result in additional cleaning fees to remove the pet hair.
  • Pets must be well-behaved and house-trained.
  • Do not leave your pet unattended in the hotel room! Anxious pets often bark when left alone, ruining the quiet enjoyment of our other guests.
  • Pets are not allowed in common areas of TheOrenco—only your room and private courtyard.

By signing this document, I acknowledge and agree to all the policies above. I also agree that should any of these policies be violated, I may be subject to immediate eviction without any refund. I further agree to reimburse the property for any damages caused by my pet. I authorize charges to my payment card for any such liability and/or damages, and I acknowledge that I shall in any event remain personally liable for the same.