Oregon History, Geography, Population, State Facts

The Beaver State

Great Seal of the State of Oregon

Adoptedin 1859.

The state seal consists of an escutcheon, or shield, supported by 33 stars and divided by an ordinary, or ribbon, with the inscription "The Union." Above the ordinary are the mountains and forests of Oregon, an elk with branching antlers, a covered wagon and ox team, the Pacific Ocean with setting sun, a departing British man-of-war signifying the departure of British influence in the region and an arriving American merchant ship signifying the rise of American power. Below the ordinary is a quartering with a shear of wheat, plow and pickax, which represent Oregon's mining and agricultural resources. The crest is the American Eagle/ Around the perimeter of the seal is the legend "State of Oregon, 1859." 


Spanish and English sailors are believed to have sighted the Oregon coast in the 1500s and 1600s. Capt. James Cook, seeking the Northwest Passage, charted some of the coastline in 1778. In 1792, Capt. Robert Gray, in the Columbia, discovered the river named after his ship and claimed the area for the U.S.

In 1805 the Lewis and Clark expedition explored the area. John Jacob Astor's fur depot, Astoria, was founded in 1811. Disputes for control of Oregon between American settlers and the Hudson Bay Company were finally resolved in the 1846 Oregon Treaty, in which Great Britain gave up claims to the region.

Capital City: Salem

Oregon: State of Oregon Official Web Site

Admission to Statehood: Click for Date & List

Airports: Airports Map • Airport Links

Amtrak: Northwest

Area: 98386 sq.mi, 9th   Land 96003 sq. mi., 10th   Water 2383 sq.mi., 19th   Coastline 296 mi., 8th   Shoreline 1,410 mi., 16th

Area Codes: Oregon

Biographies: Famous People from Oregon

Bird: Western Meadowlark

Border States: Regional List •  California •  Idaho •  Nevada •  Washington

Cam World: Live Web Cams

Cities & Towns: Oregon

Climate: Oregon

Community Pages: Oregon Cities, Towns, Communities List

Constitution: 33rd State

County Profile: County Map   36 Counties

Department of: EducationLicensure  | Oregon University System Provides you with information on its seven diverse and quality-focused institutions.| University of Oregon

Driving: DMV

Economy: Agriculture: Cattle, vegetables, nursery stock, fruits and nuts, dairy products, wheat.•  Industry: Lumber and wood products, tourism, food processing, paper products, machinery, scientific instruments.

Flag: Oregon (OR)

Flower: Oregon Grape   Mahonia aquifolium   aka: Berberis aquifolium

Cyndi's List •  Historical Societies

Geographic Center: Crook, 25 miles southsoutheast of Prineville

Geology Maps: Oregon

Ghost Towns: Ghost Towns

Governor: Office of Governor

Heritage: The Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission Discovers, celebrates and commemorates contributions to Oregon's diverse literary and cultural legacy.

Highest Point: Mount Hood; 11,239 feet, 13th

Highways: Oregon Highways

History: History Timeline    Historical  

Hotels, Motels & Inns:

Kids Corner: Oregon State Kids Site

Library: Oregon 

License Plates: Oregon

Lighthouses:   Cape Arago Cape BlancoCape MearesColumbia LightshipCoquille River Heceta HeadTillamook Rock Umpqua RiverYaquina BayYaquina Head

Lottery: Oregon Lottery

Lowest Point: Pacific coast; sea level, 3rd

Maps:

Motto: Alis Volat Propiis She Flies With Her Own Wings

Museums: The Virtual Library

Name: Origin and meaning of name unknown, may have been derived from that of the Wisconsin River shown on a 1715 French map as "Ouaricon-sint."

National Forest: Oregon

Population: Quick facts   3,421,399; 28th, 12/00

Real Estate: Every Oregon City, Town & Community

Representatives: Oregon House: Members  • Oregon Senate: Members  • US House:   110th Congress  • US Senate:   110th Congress

School Directory: Oregon

Soil: Oregon - Jory

Song: Oregon  • 

Sports: Oregon Teams

State Parks: Oregon

Symbols: Facts

Tourism: www.traveloregon.com

Travel: Oregon Travel

Tree: Douglas Fir   Pseudotsuga menziesii  

Veteran Affairs: Oregon VA

Visitor Guides: Oregon The Official Oregon Tourism Web Site.

White Pages: AnyWho.com  - Over 90 million people listings, businesses, emails, & reverse telephone listings.

Yellow Pages:: Yellow Pages.com

Weather: Salem, McNary Field