Newberg was founded early in Oregon’s history. The area along the Willamette River just south of Newberg was first settled by Hudson Bay Company trappers, and in 1843 became the site of the formation of Oregon’s first provisional government. The city’s first postmaster named it Newberg after his hometown of Newburgh, Germany. It was incorporated as a town in 1889 and as a city in 1893.

Newberg is unique for its Quaker background. Quakers from Iowa and Nebraska settled the area in the 1870s, and in 1884 they started Friends Pacific Academy, now known as George Fox University. A private, church oriented liberal arts school, the university has 1,700 students and is regularly rated as one of the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the West by US News and World Report. The college has also placed 2nd or 3rd in academics for the past five years.

The university is not Newberg’s only academic success story. The city boasts its own school district that passed a $36 million bond for school improvements in 1993. Two old schools were replaced with new ones, all schools were remodeled and repaired, and Dundee Elementary and Newberg High Schools were expanded. The bond also provided nearly $2 million for technology updates. This level of attention to the school system is reflected in the students’ academic performance: they consistently perform at or above state and national averages on standardized testing, and are recognized for excellence in academics, music, athletics, and vocational studies.