Spanish sailors in search of a northwest
passage were the first Europeans to see what is known today as
Oregon. Settlers traveling in wagon trains over the Oregon Trail
in the 1840s followed the missionaries who had come in the 1830s.
Oregon was admitted as the 33rd state in 1859. Oregon is a state
of great natural beauty with places such as Crater Lake National
Park and the Columbia River Gorge. Its mountains, covered in
forests, make Oregon the leading state in the production of wood
products. The state flower is the Oregon grape, and the capital
is Salem. The origin of the state's name is unknown, but one
theory holds that it may have come from the Wisconsin River,
shown in a 1715 French map as "Ouaricon-sint."
State Flower: Oregon grape
State Motto: She flies with her own wings
State Nickname: Beaver State
State Bird: Western meadowlark
Land area: 96,003 sq mi. - Length: 360 miles - Width: 261 miles
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; - Persons per square mile (1999): 34.5
