73 Oregon Facts and Weird Laws

Last update:

Which city has the highest number of strip clubs in the US, and where is this city? 

If you are looking for answers to your Oregon question, you will find our collection of interesting facts (about Oregon) helpful.

We’ve compiled facts about Oregon, its wild west past, politics, cities, economy, tourist attraction sites, and geography that even locals may want to read.

Today, you’ll discover Oregon facts you never knew existed.

Let’s dive in.

Oregon Facts – Politics And Government

Credit: Know Your Meme
  1. Oregon has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the office of the Secretary of State,  Attorney General, and Governor.
  2. The Oregon state flag is the only state flag with two different designs on both sides in the country.
  3. The governor, the head of the executive, serves for two terms within any  12-year duration.
  4. Barbara Roberts became the first female Oregon governor in 1991.
  5. The members of the Senate serve for four years while those of the House of Representatives go for two-year terms.
  6. The Oregon Supreme Court has seven justices who serve for six years. 
  7. The justices of the Supreme Court pick the Chief Justice from themselves.
  8. In Oregon, towns and cities have the freedom to choose their form of government. This right is popularly known as home rule.
  9. The City Council and mayor govern Oregon’s small cities.
  10. Oregon’s elections are fully through the mail as outlined in the 1998 referendum.

Oregon Facts – History

  1. Oregon achieved statehood on February 14th, 1859. Fun fact: No one knew Oregon had been admitted to the Union until May.
  2. The Oregon Trail was one of the most used routes during the western expansion of the US.
  3. Between 1843 and 1884, over 12 000 Missouri emigrants traveled 2000 miles to Oregon territory. 
  4. The Columbia River Gorge is Oregon’s National Scenic area.
The Columbia River Gorge is among the best places for windsurfing in the world. Credit:Unsplash
  1. The Nez Perce, Paiute, Chinook, and Shasta are native American tribes inhabited this land long before Europeans arrived.
  2. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is one of the first Spanish explorers to visit Oregon.
  3. The Lewis and Clark expedition also passed through northern Oregon to look for the Northwest Passage.
  4. David Thompson is the first European to navigate the Columbia River.
  5. The Japanese Balloon bomb explosion killed six people near Bly in Mitchell Recreation Area during World War II.

Similar Content


Oregon Facts – Geography

  1. Oregon is located in the Pacific Northwest of the Western United States.
  2. The state neighbors Washington to the north, California, Nevada to the south, and Idaho to the west.  The Pacific Ocean occurs on the Western boundary of the Beaver state.
Oregon’s Blue Mountains have an elevation of 2 000 feet above sea level.Credit: Unsplash@Makenzie Cooper.
  1. The Willamette River is the biggest water basin in the state. 
  2. Six regions of plateaus, lowlands, and mountains make up Oregon State.
  3. Oregon’s largest geographical area is the Columbia plateau.
Credit: Unsplash@Lech Naumovich.
  1. Oregon is home to Hells Canyon –the deepest river gorge in North America.
  2. Cascade mountains run from northern to southern Oregon.
  3. Standing at 11,245 feet, Mount Hood is the highest point in Oregon.
  4. The deepest lake in the US, the Crater Lake, with a depth of 1943 feet, is in Oregon.
  5. The Haystack monolith in Cannon Beach is the third largest coastal monolith in the country.
  6. In the Northwestern region of Oregon lies the narrow and fertile Willamette Lowland.
  7.  According to claims, Mt Hood is the second most climbed mountain in the world.
  8. Klamath mountains house the Oregon Caves National Monument.

Oregon Facts – Wildlife

Credit: Unsplash@Andeas Schantl.
  1. The State animal, the beaver, is common in this region.
  2. Other mammals living in this state include wolverines, Roosevelt elk, and gray wolves.
  3. Birds species common in Oregon include sage grouse, Burrowing owls, osprey, and snowy plovers.
  4. Reptiles creeping through the state include alligator and western pond turtles.
  5. Pacific giant Salamanders, coastal tailed frogs, and spotted frogs are Oregon’s amphibians.
  6. Douglas Fir is the state tree and the most common tree species in Oregon.
  7. The Beaver state is home to bigleaf maple, hemlock, ponderosa pine, and red alder.
  8. Some wildflowers that grow here include white mule’s ears, creeping Oregon grape, and sticky purple geranium.
Oregon is home to beautiful rivers and scenic forests. Credit: Unsplash@Robin Canfield.

Oregon Facts – Demographics

  1. Oregon has a population estimate of 3 421 399 as of 2021.
  2. Slightly over 50% of the population are females. The males make up the remaining percentage.
  3.  Physician assisted suicide has led to the death of 70 terminally ill peaople in this state.
  4. It is the ninth largest state in the United States, with 254,806 square kilometers.
  5. Water makes up only about 6,177 square kilometers of the state’s total area.
  6. Salem is the capital city of Oregon state.
  7. But the largest metro area and city is Portland city.
Portland has the largest number of strip clubs in the state. Credit: Unsplash.
  1. The state has about 15 people per square kilometer.

Oregon Facts – Economy

  1. Portland is home to the most strip clubs per capita in the US. Portland is home to the most strip clubs per capita in the US. According to research by Priceonomics, the city boasts 54 and has more than twice as many strip clubs as it has public restrooms. 
Credit: Strip-magazine.com
  1. Oregon’s high-tech industries developed when fishing, agriculture, and timber became insufficient sources of income during the crisis in the 1980s.
  2. The growth of the construction and service sector led to the growth of  this state between 2004 and 2007.
  3. The construction industry alone added 21,000 jobs in this 2004 to 2007 period.
Beaverton is the headquarters of Nike Inc. Credit:Unsplash.
  1. The Beaver state had a GDP of over $270 billion in 2021.
  2. This state is among the 25 wealthiest states in the United States by GDP.
  3. Oregon has an unemployment rate of approximately 4% as of November 2021, making Oregon the 37th state in terms of the unemployment rate.
  4. Within the city limits of Portland, lies more than 60 breweries. This fact makes Portland the city with the largest number of breweries in the country.
  5. The Beaver State is home to more than 200 ghost towns.

Oregon Facts – Education

Credit: Unsplash@Peter Bucks.
  1. Oregon’s Department of Education is in charge of implementing education policies. 
  2. The Governor-appointed Deputy Superintendent of Education is the overall administrator of the state’s kindergarten and high school public education.
  3. The Beaver state has seven public universities that serve both local and international students.
  4. The Oregon public universities include Western Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University, Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Portland State University, University of Oregon, and Southern Oregon University.
  5. The University of Oregon, one of the best universities in Oregon, has an enrollment of 22,760 students for undergraduate and graduate courses.
  6. Nike, the world-leading producer of athletic shoes, was founded by a University of Oregon student, Phil Knight, and his coach. 

Oregon Facts – Sports Recreational Activities and Culture

  1. Oregon State Beavers represent the Oregon State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA).
  2. The football rivalry between the Oregon Ducks of the University of Oregon and the Beavers is one of the longest-running rivalries in the United States.
  3. It has produced 13 athletes to US topmost rowing level, making it a powerhouse in men’s rowing.
  4. This state has other professional sports, including soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling.
  5. Near the Hood River in Oregon is the region nicknamed “the windsurfing capital of the world.”
  6. Oregon’s Trails offer you multiple hiking and backpacking opportunities while in the country.
  7. Oregon offers you an opportunity to enjoy snow sports, including snow biking, cosmic tubing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding.
  8. Fishing here is a wonderful experience because of the diversity of fish available in this state.
  9. The Pacific Coastline houses halibut and Salmon. The major rivers in Eastern and Western Oregon have both steelhead and Salmon fish species.
  10. Other recreational activities in Oregon include boating, climbing, camping, and bird watching.

Famous Locations in Oregon State

Oregon’s crater lake. Credit: Unsplash@Porter.
  • Crater Lake National Park is located in southwestern Oregon and is an ancient caldera of the now extinct Mount Mazama volcano.
  • Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area–This Gorge is on the boundary between Washington and Oregon. It has scenic views and multiple waterfalls, such as the Multnomah Falls.
  • Cannon Beach–lies in the Oregon Northcoast and boasts one of the biggest monoliths in the country, Haystack Rock.
  • Washington Park in downtown Portland houses Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, and International Rose Test Garden.
  • Mount Hood National Forest is the tallest mountain in Oregon, with an altitude of 11,239 feet above sea level. You can have a spectacular view of the mountain from Trillium Lake.
  • In the central part of Oregon, Smith Rock State Park offers you a view of the Canyon Walls and the Crooked River at the Misery Ridge.
  • Newberry National Volcanic Monument lies within the Deschutes National Forest in Central Oregon and offers beautiful views.
  • Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area extends approximately 40 miles along the Pacific coast from the South of Florence towards Coos Bay.

Famous People From Oregon

  • Tommy Thayer–was born in Portland and was the lead guitarist for the Kiss band.
  • Rex. T. Barber –was born in Culver, Oregon. But he is popularly known for his role as a World war II pilot, especially the shooting down of Isoroku Yamamoto (the Japanese Admiral).
  • William Jay Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike, was born in Portland, Oregon.
  • Mark Hatfield -was born in Dallas, Oregon, and served as US Senator, Oregon governor, legislator, and secretary of state.
  • Linus Pauling -was born in Portland, Oregon, and is one of the four people to have won two or more Nobel Prizes.

Common Misconceptions About Oregon

Oregonians aren’t weird people as depicted in movies. The truth is miles apart from what you watch or read. Let’s bust most of these notions today.

Children can choose the parent to move in with when their parent’s divorce.

The belief that a child will only have the right to choose the parent to live with when they are fourteen is wrong. In Oregon, a child is allowed by the law to choose regardless of age. 

Oregonians hate Californians visitors

The people of Oregon are friendly and warm to visitors irrespective of why they are from. So, this notion is misleading and against the nature of most Oregonians.

When you move to Portland your life improves

While this belief is true for the city’s amazing culture, great food, and refined politics, you’ll have to keep up with expensive rents and the constant fear of an earthquake.

Weird Laws in Oregon 

Many of the laws below were passed a long time ago, but they still exist in many Oregon cities, but many of them go unenforced. It is easier to pass laws than to revoke them, so some very strange laws remain on the books. Read the Craziest Laws in the United States, if you want more.

Here are some of our favorites.

  1. Dishes must drip dry.
  2. Juggling without a license in Hood River is illegal.
  3. It is against the law to perform a wedding ceremony at a skating rink.
  4. Garlic and onions are forbidden to ministers before delivering a sermon.
  5. Open your car door for too long and you could break the laws.
  6. Boxing with a kangaroo is illegal in Myrtle Creek.
Boxing with a kangaroo is illegal in Myrtle Creek. Image: All That’s Interesting

Final Thought

 As you can see, Oregon has a lot to offer, be it the picturesque mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, wildlife, or sports. There is something for everyone.

There are more facts about Oregon that we didn’t cover, however, you can check them out on this video.

Oregon Facts And Stats

CapitalSalem
Population2021 (3 421 399)
GovernorKate Brown (Democratic Party)
Date Of AdmissionFebruary 14th, 1859
US Senators Jeff Merkley (D)Ron Wyden(D)
US House of Representatives6 (of 435 Seats) 
State NicknameBeaver State
State MottoAlis volat propriis “She Flies With Her Own Wings”
State SongOregon, My Oregon by Henry B. Murtagh and lyrics by John A. Buchanan
State FlowerOregon Grape
State FishChinook Salmon
State BirdWestern Meadowlark
State TreeDouglas Fir
State MammalBeaver
State MicrobeBrewer’s Yeast
State MineralOregonite
State GemSunstone
State FossilMetasequoia
Neighbor StatesCalifornia Washington NevadaIdaho

Frequently Asked Questions About Oregon

What are the five fascinating things about Oregon?

  • One of the deepest lakes in North America–the Crater Lake, with a depth of 2000 feet, is Oregon’s deepest lake.
  • One of the shortest rivers globally, the D River, is found in Oregon.
  • Escada Festival of the Fungus–this event celebrates mushroom hunting.
  • The Oregon Trail is 2,200 miles long, and it’s one of the longest ancient land routes.
  • Mount Hood in Oregon is one of the two most climbed mountains globally.

What is Oregon best known for?

  • Bend city–is located in the central region of Oregon and boasts dry plains, volcanoes, and natural forests.
  • Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor lies between Gold Beach and Brookings on Oregon’s south coast. This region offers an unparalleled view of the oceanside.
  • Newport city is home to the Hatfield Marine Science Center,  Oregon Coast Aquarium, and Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
  • Mushroom hunting.
  • Oregon Trail.

What are some unique things about Oregon?

  • There is an Oregon city known as the Boring City.
  • The south of Oregon is popular as the state of Jefferson.
  • The name Oregon is thought to have originated from the Spanish word “Oregon,” meaning big ears, or “ouragan,” a French word meaning hurricane.
  • A Portland State University student-designed and sold the Nike logo for just $35 at first.

Related Content: 



Photo of author
Editor
Sabrina is a former campaign manager who has decided to focus her effort to help people contact senators and get help. She leads our Editorial Team with Ronald and Lawrence to curate content and resources that help us navigate the system.

7 thoughts on “73 Oregon Facts and Weird Laws”

  1. #21 is wrong, the Pacific ocean is west of the state. #36 in my 63 years in this state we do not have alligators.
    There are probably more errors but these two jumped out at me. Please do your research!

Leave a Comment