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Oregon Facts

Oregon Facts
The State of Oregon is located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It shares state borders with Washington, Nevada, Idaho and California. Oregon borders the Pacific Ocean to its west. Oregon is the 9th largest U.S. state with 98,381 square miles. It is the 27th most populated state with approximately 3,899,353 residents and iit is the 39th most densely populated U.S. state. Prior to European settlement the region was inhabited by Native Americans. It is believed that English and Spanish explorers visited the area in the 1500s and in 1792 the area was claimed for the U.S. by Captain Robert Gray. Control for the area between the British and Americans ended with the Oregon Treaty in 1846 when Britain released any claims. Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859, becoming the 33rd U.S. state.
Interesting Oregon Facts:
The origins of the name Oregon are not known officially but one theory is that it comes from a French word ouragan which means hurricane. Another theory is the name refers to a mythical river of the west = Ouragon.
Oregon's state nickname is the Beaver State.
Oregon's state motto is Alis volat Propriis which means 'She Flies with Her Own Wings'.
The state song for Oregon is 'Oregon, My Oregon'.
Oregon residents are referred to as Oregonians.
The capital city of Oregon is Salem and its largest city is Portland.
Oregon's state flag is the only one with designs on both sides. It was officially adopted in 1925.
Oregon's state bird is the western meadowlark and the state insect is the Oregon swallowtail butterfly.
The state animal for Oregon is the American beaver and the state fish is the Chinook salmon.
Oregon's state flower is the Oregon grape and the state tree is the Douglas fir.
The Pacific golden chanterelle is Oregon's state mushroom and the hazelnut is the state nut.
Major rivers in Oregon include Snake River, John Day River, Willamette River, Deschutes, and Columbia River.
Major lakes in Oregon include Crater Lake and Upper Klamath Lake.
Major industry in Oregon includes timber, paper, mining, electronics and computer equipment.
Major agriculture in Oregon includes wheat, cattle, onions, seed, peppermint oil, and Christmas trees.
There are more ghost towns in Oregon than in any other U.S. state.
Many windsurfers believe that the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon is the world's top spot for their sport.
Oregon's Crater Lake is the remains of an ancient volcano and is the deepest U.S. lake.
Only two states have no self-serve gas stations = Oregon and New Jersey.
The International Rose Test Garden in Oregon has more than 500 types of roses that have been cultivated continuously since 1917.
The first aquarium in the world to successfully breed harbor seals in captivity was the Seaside Aquarium in Oregon.
The deepest river gorge in North America is Hells Canyon in Oregon. It is 8,000 feet deep.
The largest sea cave in the world is found in Florence, Oregon. It was discovered in 1880.
February 14th is both Valentine's Day and Oregon's state birthday.


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