Area: 96,981 sq.miles
Population (1990): 2,842,321
Capital: Salem
Highest Point: Mt. Hood
Lowest Point: Sealevel
State Song: Oregon, My Oregon
State Nickname: The Beaver State
State Motto: She flies with her own wings
State Animal: American Beaver (Castor Canadensis)
State Bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella Negleeta)
State Dance: Square Dance
State Fish: Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha)
State Flower: Oregon Grape (Berberis Aquifolium)
State Gemstone: Oregon Sunstone
State Insect: Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio Oregonius)
State Nut: Hazelnut (Corylusavellana)
State Rock: Thunderegg (Geode)
State Tree: Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga Menziesii)
State Seashell: Oergon Hairy Triton (Susitriton Oregonensis)
"Father Of Oregon": Dr. John McLoughlin
"Mother Of Oregon": Tabitha Moffatt Brown
Oregon is the 33rd state added to the Union. It was granted statehood
on Feb 14,1859. Oregon is in the Northwestern part of the United States.
It is bordered by Washington on the north, Idaho on the east, California
and Nevada on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Much of Oregon
is covered by highlands including the Coastal Ranges located inland from
the Pacific, Cascade Range which runs north to south through the
state farthest east and the Columbia Plateau in the northeast. Most extensive
lowlands are the river valleys of the Columbia and its major tributary
the Willamette. 50% of the land is controlled by the federal government.
Rainfall is frequent while air is dry and continental climate prevail in
the east. 70% of the population lives in Urban areas mostly Portland (the
largest city), Eugene and Salem. Farmers are famous for their apples and
other fruits. Greenhouse products, hay, wheat, cattle, dairy products,
potatoes, and peppermint are also valuable agriculture products. Almost
50% of the land is covered by pine forests. Lumbering has been the foremost
industry in the state since 1950. The first humans to settle in the Oregon
area were Indians. The Bannok, Chinook, Klamath, Madoc, Nez Perce and Clackamas
tribes settled in the area it is estimated at least 10,000 years ago. Later
other tribes migrated to what was known as the "Wah-Lam-Ut Valley" by crossing
the Cascade Range near Mt. Jefferson. The Clackamas Indian Tribe played
host to hundreds of migrating Mollalas, Calapooyas, Multnamahs, and
Teninos who came to catch salmon at "Hyas Tyee Tumwater" which white settlers
came to know as Willamette Falls.
In the late 1700's and early 1800's many ships touched Oregons
shores. In 1805 - 06 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark made the first
land exploration to the northwest territory. In 1811 Astoria was founded
as a fir trading station by John Jacob Aster's American Fir Company. In
the 1850's gold was found in the sands of what is now known as Curry County.
In the Mid 1800's the first white settlers started coming in to
Oregon via the wagon trains. The Oregon Trail became the major route to
the west. It was 2,000 miles long and extended from Independence Missouri
to the Columbia River in Oregon. Part of the route folloed the Platte River
in what is now Nebraska for 540 miles to Ft. Laramie in present day Wyoming.
It continued along the North Platte and Sweetwater Rivers to South Pass
in the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains. The trail then went south
from there to Ft. Bridger Wyoming before turning into the Bear River Valley
and North to Ft. Hall in present day Idaho. It followed the Snake River
to Salmon Falls then north paste Ft. Boise. The route then entered present
day Oregon, passed through the Grande Ronde River Valley, crossed the Blue
Mountains and followed the Umatilla River to the Columbia River. Shorter
and more direct routes were developed along some parts of the trail but
they were often more difficult routes. Whole families uprooted themselves
and their possissions and headed for Oregon. Many dangers were met along
the way , disease, starvation, hazardous river crossings, rugged terrain,
early snows, and attacks by Indians. They met mountain men, ministers,
native americans and fellow travelers along the way also. The first emigrant
wagon train was headed by American Pioneer Physician Elijah White. It reached
Oregon in 1842. The trip took 4 - 6 months and was wrought with many hardshipos
resulting from poor equipemt, illness and attacks by Indians. At the link
below there is a story of a lady's great
grandfather's family's trip crossing the plains on the Oregon
Trail in a covered wagon. It is an excellant story and I recommend you
read it for a more accurate account of what life was like on the Oregon
Trail.
Across
the Plains in '64
Mt Hood
Oregon has a large tourist industry even though it only has one
official National Park. Crater Lake is the only nation park in Oregon.
It is one of the deepest lakes in the world. A volcano blew its top off
thousands of years ago and left this huge crater. Eventually the crater
filled with rain and snowmelt to form a 1,000 feet deep lake with just
the top portion of the crater exposed.
Crater Lake
Here are some links for you if you would like some more information
on
the state of Oregon.
I would like to thank Doris Unruh and Midge Dillon for all the
help they gave me with researching some links for this page. Don't know
where I would be if I hadn't have had their help. I also would like to
say a big thanks to Cherokee who helped with the graphics. A great big
thank you to all three of you ladies.
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