Valentine's Day is especially sweet for Oregon this year. The state will begin celebrating its 150th year of entering the Union on February 14. Events are planned throughout the Beaver State, with all 36 of its counties taking part. When Elizabeth Wood wrote “A lazy person should never think about going to Oregon,”* in her diary entry on the Oregon Trail. August 3, 1851, her words were prophetic and set the stage for things to come. In the last 150 years, Oregon has matured from a wild and unruly frontier to world-wide recognition of its citizens and the various products they produce and sell,offering those willing to work hard a chance at success, materially and personally. As this birthday arrives, the state is like a grand dame, all decked out in her Sunday finest, and ready to party!
*from Oregon Historical Society Exhibit OREGON MY OREGON, Dr. Stephen Dow Beckham, curator.
Fur trappers, loggers and fisherman were some of the first to recognize Oregon's vast untapped wealth, along with the gold miners and ranchers and farmers. Lewis & Clark's Corp of Discovery, 1804-06 couldn't have dreamed of the changes their exploration would bring to the Territory when President Thomas Jefferson sent this directive to Meriwether Lewis June 20, 1803. :”The object of your mission is to explore the best direct and practible water communication across the continent for the purpose of commerce.”
Today, Oregon is reaping the rewards of that initial exploration and celebrating its progress over the last 150 years, ever expanding its horizons, nationally and internationally. As Mary Oberst, Oregon's First Lady and chairman of the Oregon150 Committee puts it: “Oregon's 150th Birthday---like all milestone birthdays---is a great time to think about where we've been and where we are going. It is the time to think about the beauty and the bounty of our home state, and to reemphasize our tradition of civic engagement to maintain that beauty and bounty. And, in this economic recession, it's especially uplifting to realize the riches of our state's natural, cultural and historic landscape.”
Oregon is one of the best kept secrets in the USA. The sesquicentennial celebration is a great opportunity for visitors and Oregonians alike to discover this state. The Welcome Mat is out.
From Crater Lake, to the Steens Mountain, to some of the great events like the Pendleton Round-Up, the Portland Rose Festival, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Oregon State Fair, to some of the smaller happenings like the Dufur Threshing Bee, where equipment from the late 1800s is actually put back in service to thresh the wheat, or the Hells Canyon Mule Days in Joseph, Oregon. Joseph is gateway to the Wallowa Mountains, often referred to locally as Little Switzerland. Each community has a vested interest in making your visit here spectacular.
The state is a kaleidoscope of diversity: the untamed Oregon coast, the high desert of Central Oregon, the agricultural plateau east of the Cascade Mountains the Gold Rush area surrounding the Naional Historic Landmark Community of Jacksonville in southern Oregon and the Painted Hills, part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in eastern Oregon, are just a few of the attractions awaiting the traveler. Combined with all this is the shoe giant NIKE, high tech industries in the Willamette Valley and fabulous wines that are now recognized internationally, particularly the Pinot Noirs. and Pinot Gris. Its easy to get around the state, and economical. You don't find New York prices here.
To encourage travel throughout the state during this time, Travel Oregon has developed a game,
I AM OREGONIAN, which will be available on the TravelOregon.com web site April through late summer. To qualify as an Oregonian, one must meet criteria in five categories, including visiting one attraction. To prove you've completed the requirements, you must upload a picture of yourself participating. Once your five activities have been certified, Governor Kulongoski will be notified, and you will receive a signed I AM OREGONIAN certificate. You will be able to go on the TravelOregon.com web site to search for things you want to do, whether it's to visit wineries, a cruise, or perhaps travel the scenic byways. Whatever, you will be able to custom build an itinerary.
The main artery I-84 freeway, which for the most part follows the Oregon Trail, transits the state from east to west, allowing tourists great vistas and a good understanding of the geography of the country, as it follows the Columbia River to the Pacific. Along the way, four Interpretative Centers have been constructed to educate people on the growth and changes that occurred in settling this part of the West:
Baker City, The Consolidated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, near Pendleton, The Dalles, and Oregon City, all have Centers which give in depth information about the Trail and what occurred in each specific location. Many surprises await you along this route. A stay in the historic and restored Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City is highly recommended. Hamley Steakhouse in Pendleton, decorated in authentic 1890s Frontier ambiance, can't be beat for gourmet Western cuisine. The views of Mt. Hood and the Gorge are awesome along this drive. Stop in Hood River
to sample some of their fine Full Sail Ale at the brewery before continuing to The Gorge Hotel for a delightful night shared with the ghosts of Oregon history.
A US Stamp issued in January, 2009, honors Oregon with a facsimile of an oil painting of the state's stunning coastline. Done by Oregon artist Gregory Manchess ,it is areminder of one of the best kept secrets the state offers. Plan now to visit, and send postcards with one of these stamps. Oregon is Growing Up! Come celebrate with her.
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Valentine's Day is especially sweet for Oregon this year. The state will begin celebrating its 150th year of entering the Union on February 14. Events are planned throughout the Beaver State, with all 36 of its counties taking part. When Elizabeth Wood wrote “A lazy person should never think about going to Oregon,”* in her diary entry on the Oregon Trail. August 3, 1851, her words were prophetic and set the stage for things to come. In the last 150 years, Oregon has matured from a wild and unruly frontier to world-wide recognition of its citizens and the various products they produce and sell,
