Oregon . . . State 33
Oregon's official state flag was adopted in 1925. It is the only US state flag that still has a design on both sides. Both sides of the flag have a deep blue background and yellow designs. The reverse of the flag pictures a beaver which is Oregon's state animal. The front of the flag features the words "STATE OF OREGON" and the year "1859," the year Oregon became a state. Between these is a heart-shaped seal that pictures a landscape with mountains, trees, elk, a covered wagon, and a British warship leaving and an American steamship arriving. The ships symbolize the transfer of the Oregon Territory from the British to the US in 1846, when President James K. Polk signed a treaty with England giving this territory to the United States. The covered wagon represents the early Oregon pioneers who traveled on the Oregon Trail to settle in Oregon.
Oregon became a state in 1859 as the 33rd state. Oregon is located in the Pacific Northwest, between California and Washington. The bordering States are Idaho, Nevada, California and Washington. The capital city of Oregon is Salem and largest city Portland. Spanish sailors in search of a northwest passage where the first to come upon what we know today as Oregon.
Oregon is a state of great natural beauty and has many beautiful attractions such as Crater Lake National Park and the Columbia River Gorge, which is know as being the best place for windsurfing. Numerous mountains run through Oregon which include the Cascade and Coast Ranges, as well as the Blue, Steens and Wallowa ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Oregon has many forests which help Oregon to be the leading state in the production of wood products.
Oregon is a leader in growing peppermint, cover seed crops, blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, black raspberries, and hazelnuts. It is second in raising hops, red raspberries, prunes, snap beans, and onions.
Oregon Agriculture: Cattle, vegetables, nursery stock, fruits and nuts, dairy products, wheat.
Oregon Industry: Lumber and wood products, tourism, food processing, paper products, machinery, scientific instruments.
Oregon has a vibrant arts community, a thriving music scene, an amazing variety of restaurants, entertainment options and an incredible diversity of natural beauty. Portland Oregon was named "FitTown, U.S.A" by Fitness Magazine because of it being one of "America's Top-10 Healthiest Cities." Klamath also is a healthy Oregon City.
Weather varies significantly across Oregon, but overall, winters are often cool and wet, with summers dry and warm. Temperatures average 38 degrees in January and 67 degrees in July. Cooler condition exist in the east and southeast, while it's warmer in the southwest. About 50% of all precipitations falls in winter. Amounts vary from 8 inches annually in the drier plateau regions east of the Cascades, to as much as 200 inches in the higher elevation of the Coast Range mountains. Snow amounts approach 350 to 550 inches annually in the Cascades.
Oregon has 36 counties:
Baker
Benton Clackamas Clatsop Columbia
Coos Crook Curry Deschutes Douglas
Gilliam Grant
Harney Hood River Jackson Jefferson
Josephine Klamath Lake Lane
Lincoln Linn Malheur Marion
Morrow Multnomah Polk Sherman
Tillamook Umatilla Union Wallowa
Wasco Washington Wheeler Yamhill
