▁and ▁was ▁fav ored ▁by ▁the ▁Native ▁American ▁tribes ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁for ▁hunting ; ▁it ▁was ▁later ▁fav ored ▁by ▁early ▁European ▁American ▁sett lers ▁for ▁agricult ure . ▁Although ▁the ▁area ▁is ▁now ▁sp ars ely ▁settled , ▁it ▁is ▁notable ▁for ▁having ▁the ▁largest ▁operating ▁saw mill ▁in ▁Columbia ▁County ▁and ▁also ▁ge ological ▁conditions ▁l ending ▁themselves ▁to ▁natural ▁gas ▁storage . ▁M ist ▁contains ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁very ▁few , ▁and ▁therefore ▁very ▁valuable , ▁natural ▁gas ▁storage ▁areas ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁North west . ▁It ▁oper ates ▁un ob tr us ively ▁on ▁a ▁hill ▁near ▁M ist . ▁It ▁is ▁controlled ▁by ▁N W ▁Natural ▁( former ly ▁North west ▁Natural ▁Gas ) ▁and ▁is ▁connected ▁by ▁several ▁pip elines , ▁including ▁a ▁ ▁and ▁a ▁ ▁pipeline ▁along ▁the ▁Ne h alem ▁Highway . ▁ ▁Ear lier ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁M ist ▁had ▁a ▁logging ▁camp ▁next ▁to ▁a ▁rail road ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Ker ry ▁Tim ber ▁and ▁Log ging ▁Company . ▁The ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁camp ▁were ▁discovered ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁Though ▁still ▁important ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁logging , ▁the ▁population ▁today ▁is ▁sparse , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁a ▁rail road . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁History ▁of ▁M ist ▁from ▁Van N atta ▁Forest ry ▁M ist ▁Element ary ▁School ▁Historic ▁photos ▁of ▁M ist ▁from ▁S alem ▁Public ▁Library ▁ ▁Category : E