Oregon is known for:
- The Oregon Trail
- Wild west past
- Wildlife
- Diverse, scenic landscape
Wineries and vineyards in the Willamette Valley
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
OR |
| State Capital |
Salem |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 98,381 sq miles; Land Only: 95,997 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
36 |
| Time Zone |
Pacific Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
California, Idaho, Nevada, Washington |
| Highest Point | Mount Hood, 11,249 feet |
| Tallest Building | Wells Fargo Center in Portland, 546 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Autzen Stadium in Eugene, capacity 53,800 |
| National Parks | Crater Lake National Park |
| State Population (2020) | 4,237,256 |
| State Population Density | 44.1 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
458, 503, 541, 971 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Portland (656,751)
Salem (175,891)
Eugene (173,236)
Hillsboro (110,985)
Gresham (110,031)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Animal | American beaver |
| State Beverage | Milk |
| State Bird |
Western meadowlark |
| State Crustacean | Dungeness crab |
| State Dance | Square dance |
| State Fish | Chinook salmon |
| State Flower |
Oregon grape |
| State Fossil | Metasequoia (dawn redwood) |
| State Fruit | Pear |
| State Gemstone | Oregon sunstone |
| State Insect | Oregon swallowtail |
| State Motto |
Alis volat propriis (She flies with her own wings) |
| State Mushroom | Pacific golden chanterelle |
| State Nickname |
Beaver State |
| State Pie | Hazelnut |
| State Rock | Thunder-egg (geode) |
| State Seashell | Oregon hairy triton |
| State Soil | Jory soil |
| State Song | "Oregon, My Oregon" |
| State Tree |
Douglas fir |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Cannon Beach: City located on the Pacific Coast in Oregon.
- Columbia River Gorge: National preserve in Cascade Locks, Oregon.
- Crater Lake National Park: National park in southwestern Oregon.
- Cultus Lake: Lake in Deschutes County in Oregon.
- Haystack Rock: Rock on the Oregon Pacific coastline, located in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
- Lan Su Chinese Garden: Botanical garden in Portland, Oregon.
- Mount Bachelor Ski Area: Ski resort in Bend, Oregon.
- Mount Hood: Mountain range in northern Oregon.
- Multnomah Falls: Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge, near the Oregon-Washington border.
- OMSI: Science and technology museum in Portland, Oregon.
- Oneonta Gorge: Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge, near the Oregon-Washington border.
- Oregon Coast Aquarium: Aquarium in Newport, Oregon.
- Oregon Zoo: Zoo in Portland, Oregon.
- Pittock Mansion: Historic building in Portland, Oregon.
- Portland Art Museum: Art museum in Portland, Oregon.
- Portland Japanese Garden: Garden in Portland, Oregon.
- Silver Falls State Park: State park near Salem, Oregon.
- Smith Rock: State park in Terrebonne, Oregon.
- Timberline Lodge: Ski resort in northern Oregon.
- Willamette Valley: 150-mile long valley in Oregon. This region is also known as Oregon Wine Country.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Oregon. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic Oregon Foods
Oregon is famous for the following foods:
- Dungeness Crab
- Tillamook Cheese
- Marion Berries
- Voodoo Doughnuts
- Pinot Noir
- Craft Beer
- Hazelnuts
- Moonstruck Chocolates
- Stumptown Coffee
Famous People Born In Oregon
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Dave Wilcox (Linebacker. Inducted in 2000)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Lauren Gale (Forward. Inducted in 1977)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Ty Burrell
- Kaitlin Olson
- Sally Struthers
Oregon Fun Facts
- The first known use of the name "Oregon" was by Major Robert Rogers in 1765. The origin of the name, though, is unclear. There are several competing theories, some proposing that it came from French, and some proposing that it came from a Native Indian language.
- Crater Lake of Oregon is the deepest lake in the United States, with a maximum depth is 1,943 feet.
- Humongous Fungus, a single specimen of Armillaria solidipes in Malheur National Forest in Oregon, has been growing for about 2,400 years, covering 3.4 square miles. It is one of the largest living organisms on earth.
- Portland's name was decided with a coin toss on whether to name the place after Portland, Maine, or Boston, Massachusetts. In 1845 this controversy was settled with a coin toss which Francis Pettygrove, who was from Portland, Maine, won in a series of two out of three tosses, and the community was called "Portland." The coin used for this decision, now known as the Portland Penny, is on display in the headquarters of the Oregon Historical Society.
- Boring is a town in Oregon. It was named after William H. Boring of Oregon. Boring, Oregon has a sister city in Scotland that named "Dull." Together these two towns celebrate "Boring and Dull Day" annually on August 9.
- Oregon's state flag is the only state flag in the United States to have different designs on each side.
- The passing of Ballot Measure 60 in 1998 made Oregon the first state in the United States to conduct all elections by mail.
- In 1994, Oregon became the first state in the United States to legalize physician-assisted suicide.
- At 7,993 feet deep, Hells Canyon in Oregon is the deepest river gorge in North America.
- In Oregon, drivers must yield to pedestrians who are standing on the sidewalk.
This page was last updated on July 10, 2023.
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