Oregon State Facts

Catch up on your trivia with these Oregon history firsts and fun facts.

Pacific Northwest

Oregon History Firsts - Oregon State Facts

• 1792 - The Willamette River was discovered.
• 1805 and 1806 - Fort Clapsop National Memorial contains a replica of Lewis and Clark's 1805-1806 winter outpost.
• 1819 - A treaty between the United States and Spain established the current southern border between Oregon and California. The treaty was signed in 1819.
• 1820 - During the 1820s Englishman John McLoughlin presided over a vast beaver trapping network centered at Fort Vancouver near the Columbia River.
• 1858 - Richest gold find in the Cascade Mountains was discovered in the Bohemia Mining District at Sharp's Creek near Cottage Grove.
• 1874 - Discovered in 1874 the caves located in Oregon Caves National Monument are carved within solid marble.
• 1876 - University of Oregon opened in Eugene. Deady Hall was the first building on campus and still exists.
• 1880 - A sea cave was discovered near what is now known as Florence. Sea Lion Caves is known to be the largest sea cave in the world.
• 1880 - Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, built in 1880, is currently used as the site of the final resting place of up to 467,000 cremated individuals.
• 1899 - The Oregon Legislature designated the Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) as the Oregon state flower by resolution in 1899.
• 1900 - Ries-Thompson House is the oldest remaining residence in Parkdale. Built circa 1900 the home and area offer a commanding view of Mount Hood.
• 1905 - Largest log cabin in the world was built in honor of the Lewis and Clark expedition. 
• 1917 - High above the city of Portland the International Rose Test Garden features more than 500 varieties of roses cultivated continuously since 1917.
• 1948 - Mill Ends Park in Portland, the world's smallest official park, measures two feet across.  It was created in 1948 for the leprechauns, and a place to hold snail races on St. Patrick's Day. 
• 1971 - Oregon became the first state to ban the use of non-returnable bottles and cans.

More Oregon History Firsts - Oregon State Facts

• Deepest Lake in the US: Crater Lake, located in Klamath County. Depth of 1,932 feet.
• The Klamath Mountains in southwestern Oregon are composed of volcanic rocks, which originally erupted under the ocean.
• Highest Waterfall is Multnomah Falls at 620 feet. It is located in Multnomah County.
• Oregon's state flag pictures a beaver on its reverse side. It is the only state flag to carry two separate designs.

• Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets, and is quoted by "Bicycling Magazine" as one of the top ten cycling communities in the United States.  

• The Carousel Museum contains the world's largest collection of carousel horses. 

• At 8,000 feet deep, Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America. 
• Oregon residents own one-fourth of the country's total llama population.
• Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.

• Formed more than 6,500 years ago, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States.  It is the only lake to be formed in the remains of a volcano and its crystal-blue waters are known around the world.  

• The Tillamook Cheese Factory is the largest cheese factory in the world.  

• Oregon's state flag is the only state flag to carry two separate designs, with a beaver on its reverse side.

• The Columbia River gorge is considered by many to be the best place in the world for windsurfing.
• Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is formed in the remains of an ancient volcano.
• Oregon and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations.
• Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets.
• Pilot Butte, a cinder cone volcano, exists within the city limits of Bend.
• At 329 feet the Coast Douglas-Fir in Oregon is considered the tallest tree in the state.
• At 8,000 feet deep Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America.
• The hazelnut is Oregon's official state nut. Oregon is the only state that has an official state nut. The hazelnut is also known as the filbert.
• Oregon's state birthday is on February 14, Valentine's Day.
• The "Oregon Pioneer" statue that tops the capitol building is a work by Ulric Ellerhusen. This heroic figure represents the spirit of Oregon's early settlers.
• The state park system has 159 yurts located in 19 parks. Yurts are a circular domed tent suitable for camping.
• Navy blue and gold are Oregon's official state colors.
• The Chinook salmon is Oregon's official state fish.
• Dorris Ranch in Springfield became the first commercial filbert orchard in the state.
• The nation's most photographed lighthouse is the Heceta Head Lighthouse located in Lane County.
• Darlingtonia Wayside is Oregon's only rare plant sanctuary.
• Oregon's second highest waterfall is Salt Creek Falls in the Cascade Mountain range. It drops 286 feet.
• The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest is one of the largest long-term ecological research sites in the United States.
• Eugene is rated by "Bicycling Magazine" as one of the top ten cycling communities in the United States.
• There are nine lighthouses standing along the coastline. Five are still being used; the others are designated historic monuments.
• Portland is considered an example of outstanding urban planning. The city is known as The City of Roses.
• At 11,239 feet Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano.
• Silver Falls State Park is the Oregon's largest state park. It features 10 waterfalls and contains a wide variety of forested hiking trails.
• Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It was formed more than 6,500 years ago. Its crystal-blue waters are world renowned.
• The world's largest rosary collection is exhibited at The Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. A local resident collected the exhibit.
• The Carousel Museum contains the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of carousel horses.
• The small village of Bickelton is filled with bluebird houses seen on the posts of every house.
• The Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area is a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range.
• Tillamook is home to Oregon's largest cheese factory.
• Florence is known as Oregon's rhododendron capital.
• Oregon's capitol building is located in Salem. Earlier capitals include the cities of Oregon City and Corvallis.
• The Columbia River forms most of the northern border between Oregon and Washington. The Snake River forms over half of the eastern boundary with Idaho.
• The Oregon Trail is the longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion of the United States.
• The Tillamook Naval Air Museum is housed in the world's largest wooden clear-span building.
• Haystack Rock off Cannon Beach is 235 feet high and is the third largest coastal monolith in the world.
• The Seaside Aquarium was the first facility in the world to successfully breed harbor seals in captivity.