Oregon Info
- Capital: Salem.
- State abbreviation/Postal code: Ore., OR.
- Nickname: The Beaver State.
- Organized as territory: The Territory of Oregon was incorporated on 14
August, 1848 and lasted until 14 February, 1859 (when its southwestern
portion was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon).
- Admitted as State: 14 February, 1859.
- Present constitution adopted: It was last amended in 2010.
- Motto: "She Flies With Her Own Wings"
- Land area: 98,386 square miles, making it the 9th biggest state.
- Highest point: Mount Hood, which is 11,239 feet (3,426 m) above sea
level. It's a dormant volcano.
- Lowest point: Pacific Ocean, sea level.
- Geographic center: Oregon is about 360 miles long and 261 miles wide, at
longitude 116° 45'W to 124° 30'W and latitude 42°N to 46° 15'N. Its
geographic center is in Crook County, 25 miles S-SE of Prineville, at
longitude 120° 58.7'W and latitude 43° 52.1'N.
- Number of counties: 36.
- Largest county: By area, Harney is Oregon's largest county; it's also
the ninth largest county in the USA (except boroughs and census areas in
Alaska). By population, Multnomah County is the largest; it's also the
smallest in area of Oregon's 36 counties.
- Major lakes: Upper Klamath Lake, Crater Lake.
- Major rivers: Columbia River, Deschutes, Willamette River, John Day
River, Snake River.
State Symbols:
- Bird: Western Meadowlark.
- Fish: Chinook Salmon.
- Flower: Oregon Grape.
- Tree: Douglas Fir.
Largest Cities:
- Portland.
- Eugene.
- Salem.
- Gresham.
- Hillsboro.
- Beaverton.
- Bend.
- Medford.
- Springfield.
- Corvallis.
Some Famous People of Oregon:
- Raymond Carver. Writer, Poet. Clatskanie.
- Sam Elliiot. Actor. (Born in California).
- Danny Glover. Actor. (Born in California).
- Hebert Hoover. President. (Born in Iowa).
- Jon Krakauer. Mountaineer, Author. (Born in Massachusetts).
- Courtney Love. Musician, Actress. (Born in California).
- Ranald MacDonald. First person to teach English in Japan. Fort Astoria.
- Kim Novak. Actress. (Born in Illinois).
- Linus Carl Pauling. Chemist. Portland.
- Jane Powell. Actress. Singer. Portland.
- Ginger Rogers. Actress. (Born in Missouri).
- Pat Schroeder. Politician. Portland.
- Doc Severinsen. Musician. Arlington.
- Sally Struthers. Spokesperson. Actress. Portland.
Some Oregon Factoids
- At 7,900 feet, Hell's Canyon is Oregon's deepest gorge. Care to visit?
It's between Oregon and Idaho on the Snake River.
- Oregon's Crater Lake, at 1,932 feet, is the deepest lake in the USA.
- About 10% of the nation's timber is in Oregon. The state is the top
provider of lumber in the USA.
- Oregon has 7 electoral votes for President.
- Oregon's highest recorded temperature: 119 DegrF, 10 August, 1898 in
Pendleton (elevation 1,200') (yes, that was eighteen ninety eight).
- Oregon's lowest recorded temperature: 54 DegrF below zero, 10 February,
1933 in Seneca (elevation 4,666').
Oregon's Flag
Oregon's flag is distinctive. Adopted in 1925, it's the only USA state flag
that still has a design on each side. And they are even different designs. Each
side has a deep blue background with a yellow design on it.
The back of the flag has an image of Oregon's state animal, the beaver.
The front features the words "STATE OF OREGON" and "1859." Between these is a
heart-shaped seal that pictures a landscape with mountains, trees, elk, a
covered wagon, and two ships. One ship is a British warship leaving and an
American steamship arriving, to denote the transfer of the Oregon Territory from
the British to the USA. That wasn't the first transfer of this area between
nations (five nations have laid claim to it), but it was the last. The flag also
features, in this same area, a banner which bears the words "THE UNION." |
