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Oregon Facts

Oregon is a northwestern coastal state bordered by California, Nevada, Washington, Idaho, and the Pacific Ocean.

It’s known for its wild west past and diverse, scenic landscape of beaches, farms, forests, and mountains.

oregon-seal

Quick Facts

Capital: Salem

Population: 4 million

Nickname: Beaver State

Portland OR train station
Portland train station

Key Cities: Portland, Salem, Bend, Eugene, Medford

Postal Abbreviation: OR

Major Industries: Advanced manufacturing, business services, food and beverages, forestry and wood products, technology

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History

How did Oregon get its name: People aren’t exactly sure how Oregon got its name. One theory is that the name comes from the French-Canadian word “ouragan,” which means “storm” or “hurricane.”

Canadian fur traders in the area are said to have called Oregon’s Columbia River “the river of storms,” which eventually gave the state its name.

thunderstorm

Date admitted to the Union: Monday, February 14, 1859

Geography

Size: 98,466 sq. miles

Lowest point: Pacific Ocean at sea level

Highest point: Hood at 11,239 ft.

Counties: 36

Famous locations: Crater Lake, Mount Hood, Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Cannon Beach, Willamette National Forest

Black Forest Wolves

Famous Oregonians  

Jerry Smith- football player

River Phoenix- actor

river-phoenix
River Phoenix

Ndamukong Suh- football player

Tonya Harding- Olympic figure skater

Courtney Love- singer/songwriter

Sally Struthers- actress

first olympic games

Fun Facts

The deepest lake in the United States is Oregon’s Crater Lake, which is also one of the ten deepest lakes in the world.

The lake was formed when a volcano collapsed around 7,700 years ago, and it’s almost 2,000 feet deep.

The lake also features two islands, Phantom Ship and Wizard Island.

crater-lake
Crater Lake

Mushroom hunting is a popular activity in Oregon, and the state even holds the annual Estacada Festival of the Fungus.

The festivities include a mushroom hunt, mushroom tastings, mushroom themed artwork, and mushroom identification classes.

mountains

Oregon is also home to the world’s largest mushroom, a honey fungus that spans about 2.4 miles in Oregon’s Blue Mountains.

Oregon’s flag is the only U.S. state flag that has a different design on each side.

The front is decorated with the emblem from the state seal, while the back features a large golden beaver.

oregon-flag

The Oregon Trail was the longest land route used in the western expansion of the United States.

It’s 2,200 miles long and took most families four to six months of travel.

There are nine lighthouses along Oregon’s scenic coastline. Four are now historic monuments, while the other five are still in use.

One is the country’s most photographed lighthouse, the Heceta Head Lighthouse in Lane County.

heceta-head-lighthouse
Heceta Head Lighthouse

Oregon’s Mount Hood is often called the second most-climbed mountain in the world (behind Mount Fuji in Japan).

A dog named Ranger climbed the mountain 500 times between 1925 and 1939.

More US state facts.

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