Formerly called Riverside, the place was renamed in 1888 for the atmospheric conditions of the Nehalem Valley.

Until then, it was the oldest continuously operating business in Oregon,[3] offering food and hardware and displaying historic newspaper clippings and antique logging equipment on the walls.

[citation needed] Mist is a crossroads community where Oregon Route 47 turns north to Clatskanie, and a pioneer trail (Burn Road) crossed the Nehalem River and went south to Vernonia.

[citation needed] Although the area is now sparsely settled, it is notable for having the largest operating sawmill in Columbia County and also geological conditions lending themselves to natural gas storage.

[citation needed] Mist contains one of the very few, and therefore very valuable, natural gas storage areas in the Pacific Northwest.