Oregon
Would you believe that the deepest lake in the
United States is on top of a mountain? It’s true. Crater Lake lies on the peak
of a mountain in the Cascade Range in Oregon. The lake is nearly 2,000 feet
(600 meters) deep.
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Facts About Oregon
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Capital
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Salem
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Population
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3,750,000
people
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Rank
among states in population
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27th
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Major
cities
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Portland,
Eugene, Salem
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Area
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98,400
square miles
255,000 square kilometers |
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Rank
among states in area
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10th
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Statehood
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February
14, 1859, the 33rd state
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State
nickname
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The
Beaver State
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Name
for residents
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Oregonians
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State
bird
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Western
Meadowlark
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State
flower
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Oregon
Grape
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State
tree
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Douglas
Fir
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Abbreviation
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OR
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CRATER LAKE
Crater Lake formed after a volcano blew its top
about 7,700 years ago. Rain and melted snow then filled the bowl-shaped hole,
or crater, left by the explosion. Today, this brilliant blue lake looks
peaceful. It’s one of many beautiful areas in Oregon.
OREGON’S SCENIC BEAUTY
Oregon is noted for the beauty of its scenery.
It has a dramatic, windswept coast along the Pacific Ocean. Rugged cliffs rise
along part of Oregon’s coastline. Elsewhere, sandy beaches and dunes spread out
along the coast.
Cannon Beach on Oregon’s Pacific coast attracts
many tourists. Near the shore, a large rock shaped like a haystack rises 235
feet. Birds nest on Haystack Rock. Lots of sea creatures live around it. Each
summer, the town of Cannon Beach holds a sand castle contest. People build
castles and other elaborate structures on the beach.
The Cascades have other volcanic peaks besides
Crater Lake. The most spectacular is snow-capped Mount Hood. Oregon’s mountains
and many forests offer lots of opportunities for hiking, climbing, fishing, and
boating. Skiing and other winter sports are popular on the slopes of Mount
Hood.
THE COLUMBIA RIVER
The Columbia River forms much of the border between
Oregon and the state of Washington. East of the city of Portland, Oregon, the
river cuts a deep canyon known as the Columbia River Gorge. This region of the
Columbia is another area of beautiful scenery.
In 1805, the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark followed the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. After their 18-month
journey to the Pacific, Lewis and Clark spent the winter in a log fort they
built near Astoria. You can see a replica of their winter camp at Fort Clatsop
National Memorial.
THE BEAVER STATE
Oregon is nicknamed the Beaver State. In the early
19th century, beaver fur was valuable. Beaver top hats had become the fad among
wealthy men in Europe. Oregon’s streams were full of beaver. They drew many fur
trappers to the area. The fur trade became big business. John Jacob Astor
headed the American Fur Company and founded Astoria, Oregon.
Fur traders founded trading posts in Oregon. They
also marked paths that settlers could follow. Oregon entered the Union on
February 14, 1859, as the 33rd state. Salem is Oregon’s capital. It was founded
in 1840. Today, Portland, on the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, is
the state’s largest city.
THE OREGON TRAIL
Thousands of pioneers followed the Oregon Trail west.
The trail began in Independence, Missouri, and ended in Oregon, 2,000 miles
(3,200 kilometers) further west. It took about six months to cover this
distance by wagon train. The pioneers walked most of the way. The wagons
carried their belongings and the supplies they needed for the journey.
Near the end of the Oregon Trail,
pioneers had to float their wagons down the Columbia River. The waters of the
Columbia flowed swiftly and proved treacherous. Even with the help of Native
American guides, some pioneers drowned in the fast-moving river.
The Oregon Trail operated from 1841 until the
1860s. You can learn about it at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon
City. Several other nearby sites provide information about pioneer life in
Oregon.
THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY
What took pioneers on such a long and difficult
journey to Oregon? It was the promise of free land in a fertile area—the valley
of the Willamette River. By 1850, a married couple could receive 640 acres (260
hectares) of free land in Oregon. Native Americans lost their land when it was
given as farmland to white settlers.
The settlers found the Willamette Valley was good
for growing fruit, vegetables, and wheat. They set up mills at waterfalls along
the Willamette River. Today, the Willamette Valley is the most populated region
in Oregon. It still supports wheat fields, fruit orchards, and dairy farms.
Portland and Salem both lie on the banks of the Willamette. The Willamette
River starts near the city of Eugene.
OREGON’S FORESTS
Oregon’s economy has long depended on its natural
resources, especially its fertile farmland and vast forests. Forests cover
nearly half of Oregon’s land. The forests provide lumber. Oregon is the leading
lumber producer in the United States. Most of Oregon’s lumber comes from the
Douglas fir.
The use of Oregon’s natural resources has at
times put industry at odds with the environmental movement. The United States
government has listed the northern spotted owl as a threatened species. This
owl lives in Oregon forests. In 1990, the threat to the spotted owl led to
restrictions on logging in Oregon. The logging industry has objected to these
restrictions, as have loggers who fear losing their jobs.
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