Welcome

The Helvetia Community Association (HCA) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to inspire understanding and enjoyment of Helvetia's people, land and history.

HCA brings together farmers, business owners, concerned citizens, neighbors, and residents of the Helvetia area who are working to promote and preserve the Helvetia community and its neighboring agricultural lands.

Located approximately fifteen miles west of Portland, Oregon, Helvetia is recognized throughout the Portland metropolitan area for its pastoral farmland, scenic beauty, Swiss-German cultural heritage, and its natural resources.

HCA seeks to preserve, educate, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage inherited from the hardworking cultures who carefully stewarded Helvetia’s fertile land and soil:

• the Tuality (Atfalati) tribe of the Kalapuya band (now part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) who inhabited this area until the resettlement of 1855, and
• the hardy German-Swiss farmers who settled this area in the 1870s and named it “Helvetia” (which means “Switzerland” in Latin).

These two cultures respected the land, nurtured its soils, and treasured its natural resources, leaving it much as it was centuries ago.

There are many ways you can contribute to our efforts to keep Helvetia a special place in our region.  We welcome your donation to HCA - simply click on “Donate”.  Donations are tax-deductible to the extent provided by the law.

You can also purchase unique items from our Helvetia Market – all proceeds go to support HCA’s preservation projects AND you get to enjoy a bit of Helvetia in your home.

If you are able to donate your time, please consider volunteering during our annual Helvetia Culture Fest in the fall – or check our other volunteer opportunities by clicking on “Volunteer”.

If you have questions, please call us at (503) 647-5334 or use our convenient contact form to send us a message.