Canby is named for Edward Richard Sprigg Canby, a Civil War general who was later killed in the Modoc War by Captain Jack and his group of warriors.

The area was known as Baker Prairie when the community was founded in 1857. Canby was platted in 1870. Canby was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on February 15, 1893.

Entering Canby from the north brings visitors past the Willamette River, and from the south through the historic community of Aurora. The Molalla River passes by the southern and western border of the city.

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Canby has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated “Csb” on climate maps.

The city’s library is part of the Library Information Network of Clackamas County.

Annual cultural events

Canby is the home of the Clackamas County Fairgrounds, where the annual Clackamas County Fair and Rodeo has been held since 1907. The fairgrounds, located north of Oregon Route 99E, are used in August for the fair and year-round for other events.

Museums and other points of interest

Canby is home to the Canby Depot Museum and Hart’s Reptile World.

Canby students are served by the Canby School District, which includes Canby High School.

Rail

The Union Pacific (formerly a Southern Pacific mainline) freight and passenger (via Amtrak) line runs through the center of downtown Canby although Amtrak passenger trains no longer stop here. The Amtrak Cascades stops in nearby Oregon City. The Oregon Pacific Railroad branchline to Molalla interchanges with the Union Pacific mainline at Canby.

Mass transit

Since 2002, the city has operated its own bus system, Canby Area Transit (CAT). CAT buses do not run on weekends or major holidays. The service connects with the Portland area’s TriMet at the Oregon City Transit Center and with the Salem-Keizer Transit (Cherriots) bus system in Woodburn. Canby is also served by one route of South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART), the bus division of the City of Wilsonville. Prior to 2002, Canby was included within the TriMet district, and that agency was the sole provider of transit service in Canby. In late 2001, TriMet approved a request by Canby to withdraw from the TriMet district and initiate its own transit service.

Automobile

Oregon Route 99E, a north-south highway, runs generally east-west within the city, paralleling the Union Pacific mainline. The Union Pacific mainline, and Ivy St form a cross that divides the city into four quadrants: NW, NE, SE and SW.

The east-west streets are generally numbered avenues, with Oregon Route 99E being SE and SW 1st Avenue. North-south streets are named streets. Many of their names are types of trees, and they run in alphabetical order from west to east, starting at the Molalla River. Within the city limits, addresses always include a quadrant designation, except for Ivy St, which only includes N or S.

Unincorporated islands within the city limits are included in the addressing system, as are some adjacent areas, but most unincorporated areas around the city, but still in Clackamas County conform to the Portland addressing scheme, while areas in Marion County conform to the Salem addressing scheme.

Waterways

The historic Canby Ferry provides year-round transportation across the Willamette River (river conditions permitting) between Canby and Wilsonville.

Aviation

Canby is close to the Aurora State Airport and the Portland-Mulino Airport, both of which are both served by general aviation only.

Pedestrian and bicycle

Canby features a paved road which is closed to automobile traffic, the Molalla Forest Road.[citation needed] This road was formerly a private road used by logging trucks, but is now used primarily by bicyclists and pedestrians.