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By 1846, Moore had built four flour and lumber mills, along with dwelling for his mill workers. He also operated a ferry to Oregon City. In 1845, Moore renamed his tiny town Linn City in honor of his friend, well-known free- state advocate Dr. Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri and sponsor of the Donation Land Claim Bill. Moore became the first postmaster in 1850 and purchased an Oregon City newspaper, "the Spectator," in 1852. By then, his Linn City enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill, warehouse, wharves and a breakwater to create a basin for boats to tie up in for loading and unloading cargo. But when he died in 1857, Moore had still not seen his dream of a completed town realized.

Not long after Moore's death, a devastating fire destroyed the sawmill, gristmill, wharves and even a steamer ship docked there. Local businessmen began to rebuild, only to see their hard work washed away in the terrible floods that would come later that same year. Linn City was gone. But in 1868, the Willamette Transportation Locks Co. began operating--providing passage to shipping over the Willamette Falls. The locks have remained in continuous operation to this day.

In 1913, the City of West Linn was incorporated, encompassing four areas--West Oregon City, Bolton, Sunset and Willamette Heights. The incorporation allowed the settlements to obtain needed services, utilities and improvements without annexing to Oregon City. After considerable debate on a name, the city founders decided to honor the pioneer town that Moore had established.

The city's population has grown steadily. The 1860 census listed 225 residents. By 1920, the number had grown to 1,628. The 1960 census set the population at 2,923, and by 1970, West Linn had grown to more than 7,000. The growth pattern continued through the 1980s and 90s; the population today is approximately 23,000.