Wauna History

Wauna Federal Credit Union was chartered on March 16, 1967 by a group of men involved in the startup of one of the world's largest paper mills located in Wauna, Oregon. These men had been credit union members where they were previously employed and believed in the movement.

In the beginning, the field of membership was limited to individuals who were employed by Crown Zellerbach Corporation at Wauna. The membership field was expanded several times to include family members, retired persons, and employees at another CZ plant nearby. The first credit union office was located in the Personnel Building of the mill. The mill later gave the credit union an old maintenance building. The maintenance building, after being remodeled, was used until an old restaurant was purchased in Westport, Oregon. The restaurant building was remodeled twice before a new building was built in 1976.

In 1975, the field of membership was expanded to a COMMUNITY CHARTER which included a 50 mile span, from Rainier Hill in Columbia County to Astoria City limits in Clatsop County and from the Columbia River on the north to Highway 26 on the south. This expansion provided membership eligibility to ALL individuals who reside AND/OR work at a business located within these boundaries. This expansion also brought the need to open a branch in the Astoria area. This office was opened in 1975. The members in that area came from a different economic background which produced the need to restructure the credit union to meet all member needs. On February 1, 1978, the small $500,000 Astoria Longshore Credit Union merged with WFCU. Because of the merger and the new branch opening, the Astoria Branch grew quickly. The population in Astoria was 11,000, compared to the 3,000 in Clatskanie on the other geographical end of the membership boundary.

In March of 2003, Wauna Federal Credit Union's field of membership was expanded to include anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Clatsop County and Columbia County, Oregon. If you live or work in Clatskanie, Astoria, Warrenton, Vernonia, Knappa, Svenson, Quincy, Mist, Westport, Brownsmead, Mayger, Rainier, Prescott, Goble, Deer Island, Columbia City, St. Helens, Scappoose, Gearhart, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Arch Cape, Warren, Hammond, or any city within our membership region, you're eligible!

In April 2003, the National Credit Union Administration approved the merger of Wauna Federal and Vernonia Federal with Wauna Federal designated as the continuing credit union. The Vernonia branch has grown to 1,214 in three years.

On June 1, 2003, Vernonia Federal Credit Union merged with Wauna Federal and the fourth WFCU branch facility located in Vernonia, Oregon was officially open for business.

On April 2, 2005, Wauna Federal Credit Union opened a branch in St Helens offering all of products and services to the east end of our field of membership with 56 new members. The St Helens branch has grown to 339 members in one year.

Membership is open to businesses and other legal entities. Also eligible are members of immediate families or households of current Wauna members.