Oregon Facts
Oregon
Origin
of Name: The first written record of the name "Oregon" comes to
us from a 1765 proposal for a journey written by Major
Robert Rogers, an English army officer. It reads, "The rout... is from
the Great Lakes towards the Head of the Mississippi, and from thence to
the River called by the Indians Ouragon. ..." His proposal rejected,
Rogers reapplied in 1772, using the spelling "Ourigan." The first
printed use of the current spelling appeared in Captain Jonathan Carver's
1778 book, "Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America 1766,
1767 and 1768." He listed the four great rivers of the continent, including
"the River Oregon, or the River of the West, that falls into the Pacific
Ocean at the Straits of Annian."
Altitudes
Highest:
Mt. Hood (11239')
Lowest: Pacific Ocean (sea level)
Animal,
State
The
American Beaver (Castor canadensis) was named Oregon state animal by the
1969 Legislature. Prized for its fur, the beaver was overtrapped by early
settlers and eliminated from much of its original range. Through proper
management and partial protection, the beaver has been reestablished in
watercourses throughout the state and remains an important economic asset.
The beaver has been referred to as "nature's engineer," and its
dam-building activities are important to natural water flow and erosion
control. Oregon is known as the "Beaver State" and Oregon State
University's athletic teams are called the "Beavers."
Beverage, State
The official
state beverage, milk, was adopted in the 1997 by the legislature.
Bird, State
The
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) was chosen state bird in 1927 by
Oregon's school children in a poll sponsored by the Oregon Audubon Society.
Native throughout western North America, the bird has brown plumage with
buff and black markings. Its underside is bright yellow with a black crescent
on the breast; its outer tail feathers are mainly white and are easily visible
when it flies. The Western Meadowlark is known for its distinctive and beautiful
song.
Borders
and Boundaries
Washington
on north
California on south
Idaho on east
Pacific Ocean on west
Nevada on southeast
Crustacean, State
The 2009 Legislature designated the Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus magister) as the official state crustacean. The action followed petitioning by the 4th grade class of Sunset Primary School in West Linn. Common to the Pacific coastline from the Alaskan Aleutian Islands to Santa Cruz, California, Dungeness Crab is considered the most commercially important crab in the Pacific Northwest.
Dance,
State
In
1977 the Legislature declared the Square Dance to be the official state
dance. The dance is a combination of various steps and figures danced with
four couples grouped in a square. The pioneer origins of the dance and the
characteristic dress are deemed to reflect Oregon's heritage; the lively
spirit of the dance exemplifies the friendly, free nature and enthusiasm
that are a part of the Oregon Character.
Father
of Oregon
The
1957 Legislature bestowed upon Dr. John McLoughlin the honorary title of
"Father of Oregon" in recognition of his great contributions to
the early development of the Oregon Country. Dr. McLoughlin originally came
to the Northwest region in 1824 as a representative of the Hudson's Bay
Company.
Fish,
State
The
Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), also known as spring, king and
tyee salmon, is the largest of the Pacific salmons and the most highly prized
for the fresh fish trade. Declared state fish by the 1961 Oregon Legislature,
the Chinook Salmon is found from southern California to the Canadian Arctic.
Record catches of 53 inches and 126 pounds have been reported.
Flag,
State
The
Oregon state flag, adopted in 1925, is navy blue with gold lettering and
symbols. Blue and gold are the state colors. On the flag's face the legend
"STATE OF OREGON" is written above a shield which is surrounded
by 33 stars. Below the shield, which is part of the state seal, is written
"1859," the year of Oregon's admission to the union as the 33rd
state. The flag's reverse side depicts a beaver. Oregon has the distinction
of being the only state in the union whose flag has a different pattern
on the reverse side. The dress or parade flag has a gold fringe, and the
utility flag has a plain border.
Flower,
State
The
Legislature designated the Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) as the Oregon
state flower by resolution in 1899. A low growing plant, the Oregon Grape
is native to much of the Pacific Coast and is found sparsely east of the
Cascades. Its year-round foliage of pinnated, waxy green leaves resembles
holly. The plant bears dainty yellow flowers in early summer and a dark
blue berry that ripens late in the fall. The fruit can be used in cooking.
Fossil,
State
The
Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) was designated as the state fossil by House Joint
Resoluion 3 in 2005. Though found abundantly in Oregon's fossil record and
believed to be extinct, living examples of this unique tree were discovered
in a remote area of China over 50 years ago. Today, a Dawn Redwood adorns
Willson Park on the Capitol grounds. The Metasequoia is a unique needle-bearing
tree that has distinctive green foliage during the spring and summer. During
autumn, its needles turn golden brown and are shed during the winter.
Fruit,
State
Pears
(Pyrus Communis) grow along the banks for the Columbia River, in the valleys
beneath Mt. Hood, and in the Rogue River Valley in southern Oregon. Oregon's
mild climate allows growers to produce both summer and winter pears. The
most common varieties are the Comice, Anjou, Bosc, and Bartlett. The 73rd
Legislative Assembly passed HJR 8 in 2005 making the pear Oregon's state
fruit.
Gemstone,
State
The
1987 Legislature designated the Oregon sunstone as the official state gemstone.
Uncommon in its composition, clarity, and colors, it is a large, brightly
colored transparent gem in the feldspar family. The Oregon sunstone attracts
collectors and miners and has been identified as a boon to tourism and economic
development in southeastern Oregon counties.
Insect,
State
In
1979 the Legislature designated the Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio oregonius)
as Oregon's official insect. A true native of the Northwest, the Oregon
Swallowtail is at home in the lower sagebrush canyons of the Columbia River
and its tributaries, including the Snake River drainage. This strikingly
beautiful butterfly, predominantly yellow, is a wary, strong flier not easily
captured.
Lake,
Deepest
Crater
Lake - 1932' (deepest in U.S.)
Lighthouses
Cape
Arago Lighthouse - Coos Bay
Cape Blanco Lighthouse - Port Orford
Cape Meares Lighthouse - Tillamook
Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse - Yachats (privately-owned, not open to the public)
Coquille River Lighthouse - Bandon
Heceta Head Lighthouse - Florence
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse - Cannon Beach
Umpqua River Lighthouse - Reedsport
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse - Newport
Yacquina Head Lighthouse - Newport
Mother
of Oregon
Honored
by the 1987 Legislature as Mother of Oregon, Tabitha Moffatt Brown "represents
the distinctive pioneer heritage and the charitable and compassionate nature
of Oregon's people." At 66 years of age, she financed her own wagon
for the trip from Missouri to Oregon. The boarding school for orphans that
she established later became known as Tualatin Academy and eventually was
chartered as Pacific University.
Motto,
State
"She
Flies With Her Own Wings" was adopted by the 1987 Legislature as the
state motto. The phrase originated with Judge Jessie Quinn Thornton and
was pictured on the territorial seal in Latin: Alis Volat Propiis. The new
motto replaces "The Union," which was adopted in 1957.
Mushroom, State
The 1999 Legislature recognized the Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) as the Oregon state mushroom. This mushroom is a wild, edible fungus of high culinary value that is unique to the Pacific Northwest. More than 500,000 pounds of Pacific golden chanterelles are harvested annually in Oregon, representing a large portion of the commercial mushroom business.
National
Forests
Deschutes,
Fremont, Malheur, Mount Hood, Ochoco, Rogue River, Siskiyou, Siuslaw, Umatilla,
Umpqua, Wallowa-Whitman, Willamette, Winema
National
Park
Crater
Lake
National
Trail
Historic
- Oregon Trail:
Length: 2170 miles
From Independence, Missouri to the Willamette Valley, Oregon
States the trail passes through: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho,
Oregon
Native
Americans
9
federally-recognized tribes:
Burns Paiute Tribe
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians
Coquille Indian Tribe
Cow Creak Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community
Klamath Tribes
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation
Nut,
State
The
hazelnut (Corylus avellana) was named state nut by the 1989 Legislature.
Oregon grows 99 percent of the entire U.S. commercial crop. The Oregon hazelnut,
unlike wild varieties, grows on single-trunked trees up to 30 or 40 feet
tall. Adding a unique texture and flavor to recipes and products, hazelnuts
are preferred by chefs, bakers, confectioners, food manufacturers and homemakers
worldwide.
Rock,
State
The
Thunder-egg (geode) was named state rock by the 1965 Legislature after rockhounds
throughout Oregon voted it first choice. Thundereggs range in diameter from
less than one inch to over four feet. Nondescript on the outside, they reveal
exquisite designs in a wide range of colors when cut and polished. They
are found chiefly in Crook, Jefferson, Malheur, Wasco and Wheeler counties.
Sea Shell, State
In 1848, a conchologist (shell expert) named Redfield named the Fusitriton oregonensis after the Oregon Territory. Commonly called the Oregon hairy triton, the shell is one of the largest found in the state, reaching lengths up to five inches. The shells are found from Alaska to California and wash up on the Oregon coast at high tide. The Legislature named the state shell in 1991.
Song,
State
J.A.
Buchanan of Astoria and Henry B. Murtagh of Portland wrote "Oregon,
My Oregon," in 1920. With this song, Buchanan and Murtagh won a statewide
competition sponsored by the Society of Oregon Composers, gaining statewide
recognition. The song became the official state song in 1927.
Seal,
State
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 sheaf
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". A resolution adopted
by the Constitutional Convention in session on September 17, 1857, authorized
the president to appoint a committee of three--Benjamin F. Burch, L.F. Grover
and James K. Kelly--to report on a proper device for the seal of the state
of Oregon. Harvey Gordon created a draft, to which the committee recommended
certain additions that are all incorporated in the state seal.
Tree,
State
The
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), named for David Douglas, a 19th century
Scottish botanist, was designated state tree in 1939. Great strength, stiffness
and moderate weight make it an invaluable timber product said to be stronger
than concrete. Averaging up to 200' in height and six feet in diameter,
heights of 325' and diameters of 15' can also be found.
Waterfall,
Highest
Multnomah
Falls - 620'
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