Settled in 1876 by William Johnston, a man who would be responsible for the town's first post office and church, Vesper borders Jewell and the Columbia County line.

Before 1901, Vesper was completely isolated from the rest of the county on land; for one to reach the community, it would have been necessary to travel via ferry on the Nehalem River.

[1][2] The name Vesper is commonly applied to Hesperus, Greek mythology's personification for the planet Venus.

The first wagon road connecting Astoria, Oregon with the Nehalem Valley, ending at Vesper was built in 1901.

[7][8][9] The 1914 reconstruction was the most expensive highway project in the history of Clatsop County at the time with an estimated cost of $542,875.

[11] Clatsop County approved the building of two additional bridges connecting Vesper and Jewell, Oregon three years later.