Pictures of the USS Plainfield abandoned near Dismal Nitch, Washington got me to thinking about ships that were named for locations, things, or native peoples in the Pacific Northwest. This list is by no means exhaustive, so please comment below if you know of any additional ships.

Oregon (1841-1845) – also known as the Thomas H. Perkins, part of the Wilkes Expedition
CSS Oregon (1846-1861) – wooden steam sidewheeler mail boat seized by the Confederacy to become a blockade runner and gunboat.
USS Klamath (1865-1874)
USS Idaho (1864) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Idaho_(1864)
USS Astoria (Omaha) (1867) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Omaha_(1869)
USS Oregon (BB-3) (1890-1956) – One of the most famous US Navy ships, ever.
USS Tacoma (1893) – a harbor tugboat built 1893 as Sebago; purchased by U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War renamed Tacoma in 1898; reverted to original name, 1900; sold for scrapping, 1937
USS Astoria (AK-8) (1902-1914) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Astoria_(AK-8)
Arcata I (1903-193?) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arcata-coast-guard-cutter-i.html
USS Tacoma (CL-20) (1903-1924) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tacoma_(CL-20)
USS Idaho (BB-24) (1905-1914) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Idaho_(BB-24)
USS Seattle (ACR-11) (1905-1916) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Seattle_(ACR-11)
USS Lamson (DD-18) (1910-1919) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Lamson_(DD-18)
USS Astoria – (1917-1921) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/astoria-screw-steamer-i.html
USS Chinook (Sp-644) (1917-1918) – a wooden patrol boat
USS Idaho (BB-42) (1917-1947) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Idaho_(BB-42)
USS Idaho (SP-545) (1917-1918) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Idaho_(SP-545)
Bayocean – (1918-1919) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bayocean-i.html
Bellingham (1918-1919) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bellingham-i.html
USS Oregonian (1918-1919) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Oregonian_(ID-1323) was a Cargo Ship in WWI.
USS Astoria (CA-34) (1929-1942) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Astoria_(CA-34)
USS Boise (CL-47) (1938) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Boise_(CL-47)
Arcata II (PC-601) (1942-1960) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arcata-pc-601-ii.html
USS Cascade (1942-1963) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/cascade.html
USS Molalla -(1942-1978) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Molala_(ATF-106) was named after the Molalla Indians
USS Alsea (AT-97) (1943-1962) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/alsea.html
USS Astoria (CL-90) – (1943-1971) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Astoria_(CL-90)
USS Ault (DD-698) (1943-1973) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ault
USS Bannock (ATF-81) (1943-1977) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bannock_(ATF-81)
USS Benton County (LST-263) (1943-1958) – Amphibious landing ship
USS Eugene (1943-1946)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Eugene_(PF-40) WWII Frigate, given to Cuba after the war.
USS Tacoma (PF-3) (1943-1951) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tacoma_(PF-3)
USS Marion County (LST-975) (1945-1946) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Marion_County_(LST-975)
USS Oregon City (1945-1973) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Oregon_City_(CA-122)
USS Spokane (1946-1972) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Spokane_(CL-120)
Arcata (YTB-768) (1963-2004) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arcata-ytb-768-iii.html
SS Gem State (T-ACS-2) (1965 – Present) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Gem_State_(T-ACS-2)
USS Seattle (AOE-3) (1968) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Seattle_(AOE-3)
USS Tacoma (PG-92) (1968-1995) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tacoma_(PG-92)
SS Beaver State (1987-2006)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Beaver_State_(T-ACS-10) was a Crane Ship
USS Boise (SSN-764) (1991 – Present) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Boise_(SSN-764)
BBC Seattle (T-AK-5272) (2013-Present) – https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bbc-seattle–t-ak-5272-.html
USS Oregon (SSN-793) 2019 – – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Oregon_(SSN-793)
USS Idaho (SSN-799) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Idaho_(SSN-799)

USS Klaskanine – http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/20/2063.htm was a Gas tanker in WWII
USS Klickitat – http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/20/2064.htm was also a WWII gas tanker
USS Paiute – http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/39/39159.htm

USS Portland (LPD 27)

USS Cape Lookout (ID-3214)
USS Coos Bay (AVP-25)
USS Crook County (LST-611)
USS Currier (DE-700)
USS Curry County (LST-685)
USS Douglas County (LST-731)
USS Eugene (PF-40)
USS George M. Campbell (DE-773)
USS Grant County (LST-1174)
USS Jefferson County (LST-845)
USS LST-900
USS Lake County (LST-880)
USS Lamson (DD-18)
USS Lamson (DD-328)
USS Lamson (DD-367)
USS Lincoln County (LST-898)
USS Maloy (DE-791)
USS Mazama (AE-9)
USS McMinnville (PCS-1401)
USS Oregon City (CA-122)
USS Portland (LPD-27)
USS Portland (LSD-37)
USS Salem (CA-139)
USS Tillamook (AT-16)
USS Tillamook (ATA-192)
USS Tillamook (SP-269)
USS Willamette (1865)
USS Willamette (AO-180) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Willamette_(AO-180) was fleet replenishment oiler

USS Mt. Hood – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mount_Hood_(AE-11) and USS Mt. Hood -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mount_Hood_(AE-29)
USS West Coast – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_West_Coast_(ID-3315) was a WWI cargo ship built in Portland
BB-56
BB-47
USS Washington (ACR-11) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Washington_(ACR-11)
USS Washington (BB-47) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Washington_(BB-47)
USS Washington (BB-56) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Washington_(BB-56)
USS Washington (SSN-787) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Washington_(SSN-787)

On to Part II -Navy ships named for PNW Locations, including the famous USS Oregon and the USS Chinook