Capital:
Salem
Governor: John A. Kitzhaber, D (to Jan. 2003)
Senators: Gordon Smith, R (to Jan. 2003); Ron Wyden, D (to
Jan. 2005)
Secy.
of State: Bill Bradbury, D (to Jan. 2005)
Treasurer: Randall Edwards, D (to Jan. 2005)
Atty.
General: Hardy Myers, D (to Jan. 2005)
Organized as territory: Aug. 14, 1848
Entered
Union (rank): Feb. 14, 1859 (33)
Present
constitution adopted: 1859
Motto:
Alis volat Propriis (She flies with her own wings) (1987)
State Symbols:
|
flower
|
Oregon grape (1899) |
|
tree
|
douglas fir (1939) |
|
animal
|
beaver (1969) |
|
bird
|
western meadowlark (1927) |
|
fish
|
chinook salmon (1961) |
|
rock
|
thunderegg (1965) |
|
colors
|
navy blue and gold (1959) |
|
song
|
"Oregon, My Oregon" (1927) |
|
insect
|
swallowtail butterfly (1979) |
|
dance
|
square dance (1997) |
|
nut
|
hazelnut (1989) |
|
gemstone
|
sunstone (1987) |
|
|
Spanish and
English sailors are believed to have sighted the Oregon coast in
the 1500s and 1600s. Capt. James Cook, seeking the Northwest
Passage, charted some of the coastline in 1778. In 1792, Capt.
Robert Gray, in the Columbia, discovered the river named after
his ship and claimed the area for the U.S.
In 1805 the
Lewis and Clark expedition explored the area. John Jacob Astor's
fur depot, Astoria, was founded in 1811. Disputes for control of
Oregon between American settlers and the Hudson Bay Company were
finally resolved in the 1846 Oregon Treaty in which Great
Britain gave up claims to the region.
Oregon has
a $3.3 billion lumber and wood products industry, and an $859
million paper and allied manufacturing industry. Its
salmon-fishing industry is one of the world's largest.
In
agriculture, the state leads in growing peppermint, cover seed
crops, blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, black
raspberries, and hazelnuts. It is second in raising hops,
raspberries, sweet cherries, prunes, snap beans, and onions.
Oregon has the only nickel smelter in the United States.
With the
low-cost electric power provided by dams, Oregon has developed
steadily as a manufacturing state. Leading manufactured items
are lumber and plywood, metalwork, machinery, aluminum,
chemicals, paper, food packing, and electronic equipment.
Crater
Lake National Park, Mount Hood, and Bonneville Dam on the
Columbia are major tourist attractions. Oregon Dunes National
Recreation Area has been established near Florence. Other points
of interest include the Oregon Caves National Monument, Cape
Perpetua in Siuslaw National Forest, Columbia River Gorge
between The Dalles and Troutdale, Hells Canyon, Newberry
Volcanic National Monument, and John Day Fossil Beds National
Monument.
Nickname: Beaver State
Origin of name: Unknown.
However, it is generally accepted that the name, first used by
Jonathan Carver in 1778, was taken from the writings of Maj.
Robert Rogers, an English army officer.
10 largest cities (1999 est.):
Portland, 503,637; Eugene, 130,501; Salem, 129,650; Gresham,
87,106; Hillsboro, 65,835; Beaverton, 64,563; Medford, 59,937;
Corvallis, 50,784; Springfield, 50,744; Albany, 38,773
Land area:
96,003 sq mi. (248,647 sq km)
Geographic center: In Crook
Co., 25 mi. SSE of Prineville
Number of counties:
36
Largest county by population and area:
Multnomah, 633,224 (1999 est.); Harney, 10,135 sq mi.
State forests: 820,000 ac.
State parks: 240 (93,330 ac.)
Residents: Oregonian
1999 resident population est.:
3,316,154
1990 resident census population (rank):
2,842,321 (29). Male:
1,397,073; Female:
1,445,248. White: 2,636,787
(92.8%); Black: 46,178
(1.6%); American Indian:
38,496 (1.4%); Asian: 69,269
(2.4%); Other race: 51,591
(1.8%); Hispanic: 112,707
(4.0%). 1990 percent population under
18: 25.5; 65 and over:
13.8; median age:
34.5. |
