Oregon is a spry 149 years old today. Though our land has been home to people for over twelve centuries, we still have a reason to celebrate. Today marks the day we joined the United States.

Sure, our beloved Oregon was once far larger, far cleaner and independent. Sure, our beloved Oregon once boasted natural wonders that have been stripped away, buried or flooded. Still, what we have left is doggone incredible.

There is daylight left in this gorgeous afternoon. You could grab a hat, some coldcuts and have yourself a merry little picnic at Champoeg. Whatever you do during your romantic adventure today, give our state a kiss and say, "I love you."

She deserves a really big gift next year!

The meetings in Champoeg in 1843 were important, but were about the question of establishing a provisional territorial government, which would eventually lead to discussions of statehood and the kind of state they wished Oregon to be:

"Oregonians voted in June 1857 to hold a constitutional convention. The delegates assembled in Salem during the summer and drafted a governing document. It was modeled on those of Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan. The constitution limited public debt and placed tight controls on banks and corporations. An agricultural people, the convention delegates argued, had little use for frivolous expenditures or unnecessary institutions. In the fall voters faced three questions. Did they approve the constitution? They voted yes. Did they want slavery? They voted 7,727 no and 2,645 yes. Did they want freed African-Americans to live in Oregon? They voted eight to one against permitting their residency." (Oregon Blue Book)

Reading the above helps provide deeper understanding of some of the lyrics in our state song:

Oregon, My Oregon
Words by J.A. Buchanan
Music by Henry B. Murtagh

Land of the Empire Builders, Land of the Golden West;
Conquered and held by free men, Fairest and the best.
On-ward and upward ever, Forward and on, and on;
Hail to thee, Land of the Heroes, My Oregon.

Land of the rose and sunshine, Land of the summer's breeze;
Laden with health and vigor, Fresh from the western seas.
Blest by the blood of martyrs, Land of the setting sun;
Hail to thee, Land of Promise, My Oregon.

Well then!

Look at how far we've come! Congrats Oregon! You make the news on a regular basis, nobody from the rest of the nation can pronounce your name, and you are still quite beautiful.

Damn happy to live here.

Visited 12 other states and lived in 2 and Oregon is by far my favorite state to live in!!!!!

I'm looking forward to another party starring Paul Bunyan and the Centennial Candle.

If you haven't spent time at Champoeg State Park (I could be preaching to the choir here) I highly recommend it especially if you have kids.

Someday we hope to rent a Yert at Champoeg, if not, there are some cute cabins you can rent as well. In that case one for the kids and one for the parents.

Good place to bring your bike, freesbie and hiking/walking shoes.

Lots of history everywhere.

Happy birthday Orygun. And thank you Tom McCall.

Yep, my hat's off to Mr. McCall. Someone I met. Sort of.

If anyone here hates Oregon, I'm gonna point my Biodiesel Flamethrower in their direction pronto!

PS: To the Negroes oppressed back in the day, sorry, And the Native Americans, double sorry.

Chris, wave when you look northwardly at the hills from your yert cuz you may see my house!

I use to have these Oregon stamps:

http://www.commem.com/images/Philatelic/FDC_783_53_mnt.jpg

http://www.avardfairbanks.com/secular_works/oregontrail/oregontrail_stamp.jpg

http://www.1847usa.com/identify/1950s/1124.jpg

Anyone have this Oregon collectable?

http://www.historicbottles.com/oregonbeam.jpg

Anyone have this Oregon collectable?

http://www.historicbottles.com/oregonbeam.jpg

There are 3 of them on eBay right now.

It's pretty cool so I bid on one of them!

Back in 1849, the Provisional Legislature adopted a plan to mint 'Beaver Money' in five and ten dollar coins. The coins, with a beaver imprint, helped supply a monetary solution to a confusing and difficult exchange situation.

The coins were minted by the Oregon Exchange Company and forced the value of gold from eleven to sixteen dollars an ounce. When U.S. coins from the San Francisco mint came into use, the government bought up most of the Oregon 'Beaver Money'.


I would love to see some of those mints today.

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quote:

Anyone have this Oregon collectable?

http://www.historicbottles.com/oregonbeam.jpg

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Chris: I found some Beaver Money!

http://americanhistory.si.edu/coins/printable/images/4_05Afront.jpg

http://www.eoma.org/goldbev_files/goldre.gif

http://coin-shop.com/images/beaver.jpg

Great stuff Craig. Good work.

I have that Oregon Bottle, as well as the groovy 1972 Rose Festival Bottle and the Space Needle bottle. Very Cool.

http://cgi.ebay.com/JIM-BEAM-PORTLAND-OREGON-ROSE-FESTIVAL-DECANTER-1972_W0QQitemZ170194483470QQihZ007QQcategoryZ823QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That Rose Festival bottle is pretty cool too!

The words in the center look like they could be on the front of a Grateful Dead album!

I surprised that Herb hasn't turned this thread into a God or abortion issue....

I am proud to be an Oregonian and wouldn't live anywhwere else.

Another proud Oregonian here.

An interesting fact to note is the origin of the name "Oregon" is unknown.

From Wikipedia:
The origin of the name "Oregon" is unknown. One account, advanced by George R. Stewart in a 1944 article in American Speech, was endorsed as the "most plausible explanation" in the book Oregon Geographic Names. According to Stewart, the name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 1700s, on which the Ouisiconsink (Wisconsin) River was spelled "Ouaricon-sint", broken on two lines with the -sint below, so that there appeared to be a river flowing to the west named "Ouaricon". Other theories place the word's roots in the Spanish language, from words like Orejón ("big ear") or Aragón.

Does anyone else here belong to "Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers"?

I'm a freak, I belong to both SDOP AND an OR/WA Indian tribe.

Cowboys/settlers vs. the Indians. It's a daily struggle, I tell you.

Which tribe, so I know which casino to make a donation to.

I appreciate that so much! Please drop your wads of cash off at Spirit Mountain Casino!