US Highway 730 cuts through the Northern portion of Umatilla and Interstate Highway 82 passes along the its Western most portion.

The city Umatilla is located at the Northwest corner of Umatilla county at the border with the State of Washington and on the banks of the part of the Columbia river known as Lake Umatilla. Between the 19th and the 20th century, the area around Umatilla was known for its wide open spaces. Herds of cattle, sheep, and horses fed on the plentiful bunchgrass of the area. At the beginning of the 20th century, with federal government assistance an era of irrigation projects began on the Umatilla River. Land in Umatilla City was irrigated with Columbia and Umatilla River water. When the Umatilla Ordnance Depot was built at the beginning of the 1940's; Umatilla grew, providing housing and services to workers.

Hon. Theresa M. Krogh