Bingen, WA

Bingen sits on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge in Klickitat County, with State Route 14 running along the river and the hills rising behind it. Theodore Suksdorf platted the townsite in 1892 and named it for Bingen on the Rhine; the city incorporated in 1924. That origin still shows in the map: Bingen is a river town with a road, rail stop, and port connection all pressed into the narrow Gorge corridor. At Bingen Point, the Port of Klickitat operates a business park, boat ramp, harbor, and Sailboard Park on the Columbia. The Bingen-White Salmon Amtrak station adds a daily rail connection, while the city has carried out a downtown revitalization project and maintains a fire hall. Bingen's current shape is practical and regional, with waterfront work, train tracks, and the Gorge's recreation routes meeting at the edge of town.