Although
we live in Washington state,
our home town of Vancouver is
just across the Columbia River from
Portland, Oregon. We feel
just as at home in Oregon as we do in Washington. Because all of
our local television and radio is based in
Portland, we often feel more
in touch with Oregon as well. So, we decided to include Oregon on
our site too! This page will introduce you to our second home and
offer some information about Oregon in general. You may also visit
our photo gallery and our
Oregon Directory for more information
on and pictures of Oregon. For more area-specific information check
out our Portland page,
photo gallery and
directory!
About
thirteen thousand years ago the first Native Americans arrived in the
Pacific Northwest from Mongolia by way of
Siberia and Alaska. The Indian pictographs on canyon walls and legends
of the Northwest's earliest historic accounts provide the story of how
Oregon was shaped by the ocean, volcanoes and rain.
Many
Oregon names are derived from Indian tribal names such as Multnomah, Willamette,
Siuslaw and Clackamas. Today, there are nine Native American Confederations
in Oregon: the Siletz Tribes, the Grand Ronde Tribe, the Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs, the Umatilla Tribes, the Coos Tribe, the Coquille
Tribe, the Klamath Tribe, the Burns Paiute Tribe and the Cow Creek Band
of the Umpqua.The Native Americans were followed many centuries later
by Spanish and British mariners seeking the fabled "great river of the
West." However, it was American Captain John Gray who, in 1792, explored
the great river and named it for his ship, The Columbia. Captain Gray
was one of the first white men to enter Oregon.
This
discovery prompted Thomas Jefferson to send the exploring team of Lewis
and Clark overland in 1804 to gain more knowledge of the region and to
find out if there was a northwest passage. They found that the passage
did not exist but laid claim to the territory. Their expedition, along
with Captain Gray's trip, gave the United States a strong stake in the
land.
Early
trappers and fur traders made exciting discoveries, finding the bounty
that Oregon provided. The British Hudson's Bay Co., led by Dr. John McLoughlin
(His home still remains in
Oregon City.), became the dominant force in the economy. This fur-trading
company directed activities throughout the region and built the original
capital of the Oregon Territory, in Oregon City, at the northern end of
the Willamette Valley.
It wasn't
until the 1840s however, that the main influx of Euro-American people
began. Pioneers from the east coast border states and merchants traveling
by ship from New England increased Oregon's population, leading to the
creation of the Oregon Territory in 1848 and statehood in 1859.
Traveling
by wagon, emigrants crossed the Oregon Trail from 1841 to 1860 covering
2,000 miles from Missouri to western Oregon. The majority of the pioneers
settled in the fertile Willamette Valley. Discoveries of gold on the coast
and in the high country led to settlement in these regions as well. These
latter settlements, however, provoked tragic Indian wars that lasted many
years. The Rogue River, Modoc, Paiute, Bannock and Nez Perce Indian wars
all concluded with the Native Americans surrendering their land.
When
the railroads came to Oregon in the 1870s, the agriculture industry no
longer required direct access to waterways because supplies could be transported
overland. The arrival of the automobile quickened the urban growth of
the state, and the depletion of eastern forests brought logging to Oregon
on a huge scale. Many of the millions of visitors to Oregon's Lewis and
Clark Exposition in 1905 were tempted to stay.
Of
10 different climate zones that exist in the world, Oregon has seven.
Thus, the different regions of Oregon experience varying types of weather
patterns. Western Oregon produces many crops because of good soil and
an abundance of moisture. The temperature is also very moderate, ranging
from the mid-30s to 50s in the winter to 85 in the summer. Portland averages
38 inches of rain a year. In Southwest Oregon, a complex weather pattern
known as the "Brookings Effect" creates warmer weather in a "banana belt"
on the coast.
Central
Oregon is on the cusp of the Cascade Mountain Range, wedged between the
mountains and the high desert. Lows in the winter drop to the mid-20s,
with snowfall reaching only a couple feet at the base of the mountain
and to the mid-80s in the summer. The winds in the Columbia Gorge are
especially strong in summer, which makes it a great spot for windsurfing.
Eastern
Oregon experiences a greater variation of temperatures, hovering in the
teens
through the winter with several feet of snow to the mid-90s in the summer.
Eastern Oregon is a desert surrounded by a few mountain ranges, and it
receives relatively little rainfall.
Western
Oregon produces many crops because of good soil and an abundance of moisture.
The temperature is also very moderate, ranging from the mid-30s to 50s
in the winter to 85 in the summer. Portland averages 38 inches of rain
a year.
In Southwest
Oregon, a complex weather pattern known as the Brookings Effect creates
warmer weather in a banana belt on the coast.
Central
Oregon is on the cusp of the Cascade Mountain Range, wedged between the
mountains and the high desert. Lows in the winter drop to the mid-20s,
with snowfall reaching only a couple feet at the base of the mountain
and to the mid-80s in the summer. The winds in the Columbia Gorge are
especially strong in summer, which makes it a great spot for windsurfing.
Eastern
Oregon experiences a greater variation of temperatures, hovering in the
teens through the winter with several feet of snow to the mid-90s in the
summer. Eastern Oregon is a desert surrounded by a few mountain ranges,
and it receives relatively little rainfall.
Oregon
has more
micobreweries per capita than any other state in the country, and is home
to over 100 wineries. Portland claims more than 30 distinctly flavored
beers and has won many national microbrewery competitions. Oregon
is also among the top producers of horseradish, peppermint, strawberries,
filberts (hazelnuts), beef and christmas trees in the United States.
Oregon
was admitted to the union on February 14, 1859, becoming the 10th largest
state in the United States. The Cascade mountains run the entire
length of Oregon, with Mt. Hood its highest peak at 11,235 feet.
The Pacific Ocean forms the western border, producing some fantastic scenery
along its rugged coastline. Hells Canyon is the deepest river-carved
canyon in the United States, at 7,900 feet deep. The population
of Oregon is a scant 3.47 million, with most of the population living
in the Portland Metropolitan Area (2,149,056). Portland is Oregon's
largest city, with a population of 503,891 as of 1998, followed by Eugene
(128,240), Salem (126,702), Gresham (85,021), and Beaverton (62,111).
Portland is also the 6th fastest growing major city in the country over
the last decade, with an increase in population of almost 16% over 1990.
Oregon
is the home to many large corporations, including Nike, Intel, Norm Thompson,
Avia, Adidas, Jantzen, Pendleton, and Columbia Sportswear.
Oregon
is a dramatic land of many changes. From the rugged seacoast, the high
mountain passes of the Oregon Cascades, the lush greenery and magnificent
waterfalls of the Columbia Gorge, to the lava and Ponderosa pines of the
high desert, Oregon's natural beauty has been preserved for all to experience
and enjoy.
Hike
along the beach in the early morning and watch for whales. Enjoy the solitude
of miles and miles of Oregon's public beaches. The historic Columbia River
Highway is the best way to view the magnificent vistas and waterfalls
of the Columbia Gorge. There are also 35 wilderness areas, 14 national
forests and Crater Lake, Oregon's national park, and at 1,932 feet, the
deepest lake in the United States, for residents and visitors alike to
enjoy. We love beautiful Oregon, and we just wanted to share it with you!
Siberia and Alaska. The Indian pictographs on canyon walls and legends
of the Northwest's earliest historic accounts provide the story of how
Oregon was shaped by the ocean, volcanoes and rain. 
n
Oregon City.), became the dominant force in the economy. This fur-trading
company directed activities throughout the region and built the original
capital of the Oregon Territory, in Oregon City, at the northern end of
the Willamette Valley. 
Of
10 different climate zones that exist in the world, Oregon has seven.
Thus, the different regions of Oregon experience varying types of weather
patterns. Western Oregon produces many crops because of good soil and
an abundance of moisture. The temperature is also very moderate, ranging
from the mid-30s to 50s in the winter to 85 in the summer. Portland averages
38 inches of rain a year. In Southwest Oregon, a complex weather pattern
known as the "Brookings Effect" creates warmer weather in a "banana belt"
on the coast. 
ens
through the winter with several feet of snow to the mid-90s in the summer.
Eastern Oregon is a desert surrounded by a few mountain ranges, and it
receives relatively little rainfall. 
ore
micobreweries per capita than any other state in the country, and is home
to over 100 wineries. Portland claims more than 30 distinctly flavored
beers and has won many national microbrewery competitions. Oregon
is also among the top producers of horseradish, peppermint, strawberries,
filberts (hazelnuts), beef and christmas trees in the United States.