Located about three miles NW of Gervais, St. Louis is one of the old settlements in the Willamette Valley. In 1844, a Jesuit missionary, the Reverend Aloysius Verecuysee, visited the early settlers and in 1845 he built a log church at St. Louis. In November 1847, the parish was first organized with a resident priest, the Rev. B. Delorme. The parish was named for Saint Louis, King of France.

1860 St. Louis post office established Oct 26, 1860 with S.C. Matthieu as first post master. This office was in operation, for the most part, until 1901 when it was closed to Gervais. The remains of Madame Marie Dorion, famous member of the Astor overland party, are buried at St. Louis Church.