Boring is located along Oregon Highway 212, approximately eight miles south of Gresham and about the same distance from Clackamas, both suburbs of Portland.  The town comprises of two intersections, an elementary school and a middle school, a branch of the Clackamas County Bank, a U.S. Post Office, the headquarters of the Boring Rural Fire District, as well as other businesses.  The community was named for W. H. Boring, an early resident of the area.  Boring was platted in 1903 as "Boring Junction."  The post office was established and named "Boring" the same year. 

Willamette River to Boring via Gresham. In the 1950's the Southern Pacific  and Union Pacific railroads jointly took over operation of the remaining portion of the line for freight operations.

Much of the line has since been purchased by local governments with the intention of creating a long-distance bike trail and park area.  In 2005, by narrow vote, Boring was incorporated into 'village" status.