Best Web Design in Gresham, OR (2026)

Web Design for Gresham, Oregon

Gresham is Oregon's fourth-most-populous city, home to 114,247 residents in 2020, sitting just east of Portland in Multnomah County at the foot of Mount Hood. It grew from a rural berry-farming settlement named for Civil War general and U.S. Secretary of State Walter Quintin Gresham into a suburban city tied to Portland by the MAX Blue Line light rail since 1986. Today its economy spans manufacturing, healthcare, and technology, and its downtown hosts jazz, Japanese-garden, and teddy-bear traditions.

AppWT works with Gresham, OR businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Gresham

Also known as. Camp Ground (original settlement name, revoked by the Postal Service in 1884). Powell's Valley (early rural-community name for the area). A core city of "East County" (East Multnomah County).

History. Brothers Jackson and James Powell established adjoining land claims in 1851, forming the rural community known as Powell's Valley or Camp Ground. A clerical error in 1884 gave the town two post offices, Camp Ground and Gresham; when the mistake was found the Postal Service revoked Camp Ground, making Gresham the official name. Named for Walter Quintin Gresham, a Union Civil War general who later served as U.S. Secretary of State. Gresham Pioneer Cemetery was founded in 1859, and a Carnegie-funded public library opened in 1913. The city incorporated in 1905. Population boomed from roughly 4,000 to more than 10,000 between 1960 and 1970, reaching 114,247 by the 2020 census.

Local economy. Early economy driven by agriculture, especially raspberries and other berries, grapes, and vegetables from the 1910s through the 1960s. Modern industries include manufacturing, healthcare, retail, technology, renewable energy, and creative industries. Functions as a suburban and commuter hub of East Multnomah County, bordering Portland to the northwest. Served by TriMet buses and the MAX Blue Line light rail connecting downtown Portland and Gresham.

Culture and community. Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, launched in 1982 by Mt. Hood Community College with the City of Gresham, drawing world-class jazz artists to the MHCC campus. Soroptimist Teddy Bear Parade, held in downtown Gresham since 1992 (43rd annual in 2025), the primary fundraiser for the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards for local women. Yozakura Festival at the Gresham Japanese Garden each spring, featuring nighttime cherry-blossom viewing, matcha tea demonstrations, and koto and taiko performances by Oregon Koto-Kai. Center for the Arts Plaza in downtown hosts performances and community celebrations.

What makes Gresham distinct. The city's official name is the result of a postal clerical error that briefly gave the settlement two post offices. It is named for a man, Walter Q. Gresham, who never lived there, a national politician and Civil War general. Notable residents have included MMA fighter Randy Couture, Miss America 2002 Katie Harman, MLB pitcher Brian Burres, and NBA player Fred Jones. Gresham is the eastern terminus of the MAX Blue Line, which opened Portland to Gresham service on September 5, 1986.

Gresham Landmarks and Local Life

• Blue Lake Regional Park - popular for swimming, picnicking, and kayaking
• Gresham Japanese Garden.
• Gresham Pioneer Cemetery - founded 1859
• Gresham Carnegie Library - established 1913 with an Andrew Carnegie grant
• Main City Park and the downtown Gresham Arts Plaza.