About Cascade College
The story of a small Portland college, its Columbia Christian roots, and the decade it spent as Cascade College.
Origins
From Columbia Christian College to Cascade
Cascade College traces its roots to 1956, when it was founded as Columbia Christian College, a two-year Christian institution serving the Pacific Northwest. In 1994, with the backing of Oklahoma Christian University, the school was reborn as Cascade College — a four-year liberal arts institution with a renewed academic mission.
For the next fifteen years, Cascade College welcomed students from across the country to its campus at 9101 E. Burnside Street in Portland, Oregon. Small class sizes, a close-knit residential community, and a setting in “the Northwest Corner of Heaven” defined the Cascade experience.
Closure
The End of an Era
In 2009, facing mounting financial pressures, Oklahoma Christian University made the difficult decision to close Cascade College. The campus was later sold to Columbia Christian Schools, who continue to use the buildings today. Read more on our Campus Closure page.
Legacy
Why This Site Exists
Cascade Thunderbirds is an alumni-run memorial site, built to keep the friendships, memories, and spirit of Cascade College alive for everyone who called it home — students, faculty, and staff alike.
Full history of Cascade College's decade in Portland.
The river that shaped the college's origins and identity.
News coverage and records from the college's final year.
The public record of Cascade College's history.