About Oregon

Not familiar with U.S. geography? Oregon is on the West Coast, right between Washington and California. Some people think it's the best thing about the West Coast, and of course they're right.  Made up of seven diverse regions, Oregon has the ocean, mountains, valleys, high desert, cities, small towns, and almost everything in between.

You have questions, Oregonians will answer.

Oregon Fast Facts

Whether it’s your first or 10th trip to Oregon, here are some quick tidbits to help you get to know this spectacular state a little better.

Did you know:

• Oregon has no sales tax.

• Oregon’s birthday is Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1859.

• Oregon is the ninth largest state in the USA, covering 98,380 square miles/158,327 square kilometers.

• Oregon is bordered by Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California and the Pacific Ocean.

A State of (Natural) Wonder:

• Crater Lake, at 1,932 feet/588 meters deep, is the deepest lake in the USA – and is a breathtaking shade of blue.

• At 7,913 feet/2411 meters deep, Hells Canyon is the deepest river-carved gorge in North America.

• The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is one of the richest fossil sites in the world. You would need to travel to Pakistan to find a fossil bed that rivals this one.

• The largest concentration of wintering bald eagles can be found in Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

• The Malheur Wildlife Refuge is home to the largest freshwater marsh in the U.S.

Geography:

Oregon is a state of contrasts, with snow-dusted mountains, dramatic river canyons, lush valleys, rugged coastline, arid plains and fertile fields. In fact, Oregon offers some example of every geographic terrain on the planet within its borders.

• The highest elevation point is Mt. Hood at 11,239 feet/3425 meters, and the lowest is at sea level.

• There are more than 6,000 lakes and 112,000 miles/180,246 kilometers of rivers and streams.

• Oregon contains more than 5,900 registered campsites along with 230 state parks and 13 national forests.

• Nearly half of Oregon’s total area is forested – close to 30 million acres.

• There are 16 known hot springs in Oregon, and probably some unknown ones too.

History and Heritage:

• Oregon has 14 National Historic Districts and four National Historic Trails, including our namesake trail, The Oregon Trail, that pioneered western expansion and urged dreamers to “Go West.”

• The Historic Columbia River Highway, also known as the “King of Roads,” was designated the first scenic highway in the USA and is a National Historic Landmark.

• Oregon has more than 7,000 bridges, including 53 covered bridges. One of Portland’s many nicknames is Bridge City.

• Nine historic lighthouses and one lightship dot the Oregon Coast.

• Oregon is home to 10 American Indian tribes.

Quirky Tidbits:

• Oregon is pronounced OR-UH-GUN, never OR-EE-GONE.

• The Oregon hazelnut is the state’s official nut, and Oregon grows 99 percent of the entire U.S. commercial crop.

• The pear is Oregon’s state fruit, and locals make a mean pear cider and brandy.

• There are more than 750 vineyards in Oregon, growing 72 different varietals of wine grapes. It’s not just about Pinot Noir.

• Oregon has the only Scenic Bikeway program in the nation and a total of 17 scenic bikeways throughout the state.

• Letting an attendant pump your gas is mandatory; you may not pump your own in the state of Oregon.

• The Tater Tot was invented in Oregon by two brothers, Nephi and Golden Grigg, the founders of Ore-Ida.

• Oregon is also home to one of the original corn dog recipes – and the world’s first riding mechanical corn dog.

• In 1854, a coin toss decided that Portland, Oregon, would be named Portland rather than Boston.

Oregon Pop Culture

• The 1986 movie “Stand By Me” was filmed in Brownsville, Oregon among other Willamette Valley locations.

• Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood served as the scenic backdrop for the movie, “The Shining.”

• “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was based and filmed in Salem, where now stands the Museum of Mental Health.

• National Lampoon’s “Animal House,” one of the most successful American film comedies of all time, was filmed in the Eugene area in the fall of 1977.

• The movie “Wild” has storylines in Minnesota, California and Oregon. However, all but seven of the movie’s scenes were filmed in Oregon, and only two of them were on the Pacific Crest Trail.

• Hey you guys! “The Goonies” was filmed mostly in Astoria with scenic cameo shots from other coastal towns like Cannon Beach.

• Portland first gained national attention for its music scene in the 1960s, when The Kingsmen and Paul Revere & the Raiders helped establish the city as a Northwestern USA center for frat and garage pop. Today, all sorts of great local bands are making waves here, including M. Ward, The Decemberists, Horse Feathers, Laura Veirs, Portugal. The Man and Blind Pilot.

• Ken Kesey’s masterful “Sometimes a Great Notion” explores the relationship between Oregon’s landscapes and its psyche.

• Portland’s artists are varied and inspiring; among them: Gus Van Sant, Matt Groening, Chuck Palahniuk, Beverly Cleary and Stephen Malkmus.