Oregon

History: There is significant evidence of Native Americans being in Oregon starting about 15000 years ago. Later tribes included the Chinook, Bannock, Klamath, Klickitat, Nez Perce, Tekelma, and Umatilla. Oregon was sighted by ships of both Spanish (Juan Cabrillo) and English (Francis Drake) explorers in the 1500s. However, it was French fur trappers who settled the land in the 1700s, giving French names to many towns and features. After exploring the Louisiana Territory, the Lewis and Clark expedition travelled through Oregon on the Columbia River to reach the Pacific Ocean in 1805. But it was the British who controlled the area as part of the Oregon Country, extending down from Canada. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 defined the boundary between the U.S. and Canada, giving Oregon to the U.S. Oregon became the 33^rd state on February 14, 1859.

Economy: Due to its extensive forests (60% of the state), Oregon is a top timber and logging state, producing lumber, paper, and paper products. The many rivers leading to the Pacific Ocean support a large fishing industry, primarily salmon. The high rainfall and fertile valleys support farming, which produces blueberries, hazelnuts, grapes, cranberries, and wheat. Livestock are important too, with cattle, dairy products, sheep, eggs, and poultry being raised/ranched in the state. Oregon also has the so-called ‘Silicon Forest’, home of several electronics and high-technology companies.

Climate: The state’s western region has an oceanic climate due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean. It is very wet (200 inches of rain, snow) in fall, winter and spring, then turning dry in the summer. Eastern Oregon, however, is mostly dry high desert (less than 8 inches of rain) with cold winters and dry summers. The southwestern corner has a Mediterranean climate, with dry sunny winters and hot summers.

Geography: Three of the four sides of Oregon are defined by water – Pacific Ocean (west). Columbia River (north), and Snake River (east). The southern border with California is a simple straight line on the map. The state includes many different features such as dry deserts, shrublands, dense forests, lakes, glaciers, and even a volcano. Mt. Hood, considered to be dormant but potentially active, is 11,249 ft (3429 m) high.

Fun Facts:

The state nickname is the ‘Beaver State’; the beaver is also the state mammal
Oregon was admitted to the Union on Valentine’s Day.
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America at 1932 feet.
Oregon has the most ghost towns of any state.
The Oregon Trail (which brought most settlers) from Missouri was about 2000 miles long.
The University of Oregon mascot is the duck.

Points of Interest: