| In
the World... |
 The
Carousel Museum
contains the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of carousel horses.
In 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. The
Columbia River gorge is considered by many to be the best place in the world for
windsurfing. The
world's largest rosary collection is exhibited at The Columbia Gorge Interpretive
Center. A local resident collected the exhibit. In
1905 the largest log cabin in the world was built in Portland
to honor the Lewis and Clark expedition. 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. The
world’s tallest barber shop pole stands in Forest
Grove, Oregon. Oregon
is home to the world’s shortest river. The D River is only 121 feet long.
| •
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. •
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. •
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 Willamette River was discovered in 1792.
•
In 1858 the richest gold find in the Cascade Mountains was discovered in the Bohemia
Mining District at Sharp's Creek near Cottage
Grove. •
Dorris Ranch in Springfield became
the first commercial filbert orchard in the state. •
In 1876 the University of Oregon opened in Eugene.
Deady Hall was the first building on campus and still exists. •
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. •
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.
| In
the Nation... |
 Oregon
has more ghost towns than any other state.
Crater
Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is formed more than 6,500
years ago in the remains of an ancient volcano. At
8,000 feet deep Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America. The
nation's most photographed lighthouse is the Heceta
Head Lighthouse located in Lane County. 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. Oregon
and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations. The
Oregon Trail is the longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion
of the United States. | •
High above the city of Portland the International
Rose Test Garden features more than 500 varieties of roses cultivated continuously
since 1917. •
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. •
Discovered in 1874 the caves located in Oregon
Caves National Monument are carved within solid marble. •
Fort Clatsop National Memorial contains a replica of Lewis
and Clark's 1805-1806 winter outpost. •
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. •
The Ries-Thompson House is the oldest remaining residence in Parkdale. Built circa
1900 the home and area offer a commanding view of Mount Hood. •
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. •
A treaty between the United States and Spain established the current southern
border between Oregon and California. The treaty was signed in 1819. •
The Tillamook
Rock Lighthouse, built in 1880, is currently used as the site of the final
resting place of up to 467,000 cremated individuals. •
The state of Oregon has one city named Sisters
and another called Brothers. Sisters got its name from a nearby trio of peaks
in the Cascade Mountains known as the Three Sisters. Brothers was named as a counterpart
to Sisters. •
Whorehouse Meadows in Harney
County was exactly that during the days of the Old West. Setting up facilities
under a canvas tent in the secluded meadow about a mile east of Fish Lake they
would then meet up with cattle and sheep herders. In the 1960's the Bureau of
Land Management issued a recreation map renaming the meadow, “Naughty Girl
Meadows” But in 1971 the Oregon Geographic Names Board took strong objection
to the change and brought their argument before federal arbiters. After ten years
the old name was restored in 1981.
| 
