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173-583: Interstate 84 ( I-84 ) in the U.S. state of Oregon is a major Interstate Highway that traverses the state from west to east. It is concurrent with U.S. Route 30 (US 30) for most of its length and runs 376 miles (605 km) from an interchange with I-5 in Portland to the Idaho state line near Ontario . The highway roughly follows the Columbia River and historic Oregon Trail in northeastern Oregon, and

346-548: A flood in 1861 . This and many other large flows preceded the Flood Control Act of 1936 and dam construction on the Willamette's major tributaries. The river below Willamette Falls, 26.5 miles (42.6 km) from the mouth, is affected by semidiurnal tides , and gauges have detected reverse flows (backwards river flows) below Ross Island at RM 15 (RK 24). The National Weather Service issues tide forecasts for

519-401: A large casino and resort , which was rejected by various governments several times and abandoned in 2013. I-84 then continues into Hood River , situated in an open valley with a mix of farmland and suburban housing. US 30 leaves the freeway at Cascade Avenue and runs through the city's downtown, which lies just south of the freeway and railroad. The freeway intersects a downtown street on

692-486: A tectonic plate that poses a continued threat of volcanic activity and earthquakes in the region. The most recent major activity was the 1700 Cascadia earthquake . Washington 's Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980 , an event visible from northern Oregon and affecting some areas there. The Columbia River, which forms much of Oregon's northern border, also played a major role in the region's geological evolution, as well as its economic and cultural development. The Columbia

865-565: A "g". Another possible source is the Spanish word oregano , which refers to a plant that grows in the southern part of the region. It is also possible that the area around the Columbia River was named after a stream in Spain called "Arroyo del Oregón", located in the province of Ciudad Real . Another early use of the name, spelled Ouragon , was by Major Robert Rogers in a 1765 petition to

1038-580: A 40-to-100-foot (12 to 30 m) right of way for use by the freeway. I-80N was planned to be moved from the Banfield, which did not meet full Interstate standards, to the Mount Hood Freeway under planning in the 1960s. The freeway would have connected to I-5 near the Marquam Bridge and run through southeastern Portland to I-205, requiring a concurrency to reach the Banfield near Parkrose. The proposal

1211-466: A plan to improve fish passage and take other actions to help native fish recover in 2008. Since then, work has proceeded slowly, and the Corps of Engineers, citing engineering difficulties and cost, may not meet the original agreed-upon deadline of 2023 for a system of effective remedies. Other major dams in the Willamette watershed are owned by other interests; for example, several hydroelectric facilities on

1384-404: A power plant. The locks at Willamette Falls were completed in 1873. Elsewhere on the main stem, numerous minor flow-regulation structures force the river into a narrower and deeper channel to facilitate navigation and flood control . The dams on the Willamette's major tributaries are primarily large flood-control, water-storage, and power-generating dams. Thirteen of these dams were built from

1557-510: A probate government was proposed. Doctor Ira Babcock of Jason Lee 's Methodist Mission was elected supreme judge. Babcock chaired two meetings in 1842 at Champoeg , (halfway between Lee's mission and Oregon City ), to discuss wolves and other animals of contemporary concern. These meetings were precursors to an all-citizen meeting in 1843, which instituted a provisional government headed by an executive committee made up of David Hill , Alanson Beers , and Joseph Gale . This government

1730-609: A railroad in 1851 from St. Helens, through the Cornelius pass and across Washington County to the city of Lafayette, which was at the time the big town of the Willamette Valley. In December 1844, Oregon passed its first black exclusion law , which prohibited African Americans from entering the territory while simultaneously prohibiting slavery . Slave owners who brought their slaves with them were given three years before they were forced to free them. Any African Americans in

1903-568: A refuge from disputes over slavery, Oregon had a "whites only" clause in its original state Constitution. At the outbreak of the American Civil War , regular U.S. troops were withdrawn and sent east to aid the Union . Volunteer cavalry recruited in California were sent north to Oregon to keep peace and protect the populace. The First Oregon Cavalry served until June 1865. Beginning in the 1880s,

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2076-676: A regular toll of $ 2 per vehicle. The freeway continues southeast along the Bingen Gap and enters Wasco County near Kobert Beach. Upon reaching Mosier , US 30 splits from I-84 and travels inland along the Historic Columbia River Highway while I-84 remains near the riverbank, passing through Memaloose State Park . The two highways run parallel to each other and the Union Pacific Railroad through Rowena and turn south while approaching The Dalles . The highways pass

2249-506: A straighter alignment along the river, but World War II delayed further development until 1948. After the state legislature authorized construction of controlled-access highways in 1947, the Columbia River Highway was targeted for major rebuilding to grade-separated standards. The Oregon State Highway Division started rebuilding parts of the highway segment by segment beginning in 1948 as bond funding became available, and completed

2422-518: A system of parks, trails, and wildlife refuges along the river. In 1998, the Willamette became one of 14 rivers designated an American Heritage River by U.S. President Bill Clinton . By 2007 the Greenway had grown to include more than 170 separate land parcels, including 10 state parks. Public uses of the river and land along its shores include camping, swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, bicycling, and wildlife viewing. In 2008, government agencies and

2595-463: A temporary lake, Lake Allison , that stretched from Lake Oswego to near Eugene. The ancestral Tualatin Valley, part of the Willamette basin, flooded as well; water depths ranged from 200 feet (61 m) at Lake Oswego to 100 feet (30 m) as far upstream (west) as Forest Grove . Flood deposits of silt and clay, ranging in thickness from 115 feet (35 m) in the north to about 15 feet (4.6 m) in

2768-667: A tunnel for the eastbound lanes and a viaduct for the westbound lanes that overhangs the river. Further upriver from the dam in Hood River County , I-84 intersects the Bridge of the Gods , a toll bridge near Cascade Locks and the first public crossing of the Columbia River east of the Portland area. The bridge also carries the Pacific Crest Trail , a transcontinental hiking trail that follows

2941-531: A wide median for 8 miles (13 km) as I-84 climbs 3,000 feet (910 m) up a series of switchbacks on Cabbage Hill (also known as Emigrant Hill), which have a maximum grade of 5 to 6 percent. This section of the freeway also has an additional passing lane for uphill travel, runaway truck ramps on descending slopes, chain-up zones, water refills for truck radiators , and variable-message signage for weather conditions. I-84 cuts northeast across Emigrant Hill and turns south after Deadman Pass , traveling towards

3114-537: A água , Oregon. Yet another account, endorsed as the "most plausible explanation" in the book Oregon Geographic Names , was advanced by George R. Stewart in a 1944 article in American Speech . According to Stewart, the name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 18th century, on which the Ouisiconsink (Wisconsin) River was spelled " Ouaricon-sint ", broken on two lines with

3287-400: Is Portland, with more than 500,000 residents. Not all of these cities draw water in part or exclusively from the Willamette for their municipal water supply. Other cities in the watershed (but not on the main-stem river) with populations of 20,000 or more are Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard, McMinnville, Tualatin, Woodburn , and Forest Grove. Sixty-four percent of the watershed

3460-557: Is designated as part of Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 ; the entire length is also designated as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway . I-84 intersects several of the state's main north–south roads, including US 97 , US 197 , I-82 , and US 395 . The freeway serves as the main east–west route through Portland and Gresham and continues into

3633-464: Is despite the dams, other alterations, and pollution (especially on the river's lower reaches). Part of the Willamette Floodplain was established as a National Natural Landmark in 1987, and the river was named as one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in 1998. The upper tributaries of the Willamette originate in the mountains south and southeast of Eugene, Oregon . Formed by the confluence of

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3806-531: Is evidence supporting inhabitants in the region at least 15,000 years ago. By 8000 BC, there were settlements throughout the state, with populations concentrated along the lower Columbia River, in the western valleys, and around coastal estuaries. During the prehistoric period , the Willamette Valley region was flooded after the collapse of glacial dams from then Lake Missoula , located in what would later become Montana . These massive floods occurred during

3979-507: Is from Albany to Oregon City. At Willamette Falls , between West Linn and Oregon City, the river plunges about 40 feet (12 m). For the rest of its course, the river is extremely low-gradient and is affected by Pacific Ocean tidal effects from the Columbia. The main stem of the Willamette varies in width from about 330 to 660 feet (100 to 200 m). With an average flow at the mouth of about 37,400 cubic feet per second (1,060 m /s),

4152-456: Is in this region of the state. Typical of a western state, Oregon is home to a unique and diverse array of wildlife. Roughly 60 percent of the state is covered in forest, while the areas west of the Cascades are more densely populated by forest, making up around 80 percent of the landscape. Some 60 percent of Oregon's forests are within federal land. Oregon is the top timber producer of

4325-580: Is maintained by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), who conduct an annual survey of traffic volume that is expressed in terms of annual average daily traffic (AADT), a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. The highway is the busiest in Oregon, with a daily average of over 177,000 vehicles in eastern Portland ; while the least-traveled section of I-84, south of Baker City , only carries 9,400 vehicles. The highway's route through

4498-594: Is marked by gravel mines and dry shrubland that runs over the ridges formed by various streams. At Durkee , the freeway begins to follow the Burnt River , passing Rattlesnake Springs State Park , Weatherby , and Lime . I-84 leaves the Burnt River valley west of Huntington and continues southeast to the Farewell Bend State Recreation Area in northeastern Malheur County , where it briefly follows

4671-466: Is now allowed in Oregon, gas stations are not required to offer it and many currently do not. New Jersey is the only state remaining where self serve gas stations are not allowed. Oregon is 295 miles (475 km) north to south at longest distance, and 395 miles (636 km) east to west. With an area of 98,381 square miles (254,810 km ), Oregon is slightly larger than the United Kingdom . It

4844-573: Is of indigenous origin, deriving from the French pronunciation of the name of a Clackamas Native American village. However, Native American languages in Oregon were very similar, so the name may also be derived from Kalapuya dialects. Around the year 1850, the Kalapuya numbered between 2,000 and 3,000 and were distributed among several groups. These figures are only speculative; there may have been as few as eight subgroups or as many as 16. In that time period,

5017-655: Is one of North America's largest rivers, and one of two rivers to cut through the Cascades (the Klamath River in southern Oregon is the other). About 15,000 years ago, the Columbia repeatedly flooded much of Oregon during the Missoula Floods ; the modern fertility of the Willamette Valley is largely the result. Plentiful salmon made parts of the river, such as Celilo Falls , hubs of economic activity for thousands of years. Today, Oregon's landscape varies from rain forest in

5190-505: Is privately owned, while 36 percent is publicly owned. The U.S. Forest Service manages 30 percent of the watershed, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management 5 percent, and the State of Oregon 1 percent. Sixty-eight percent of the watershed is forested; agriculture, concentrated in the Willamette Valley, makes up 19 percent, and urban areas cover 5 percent. More than 81,000 miles (130,000 km) of roads criss-cross

5363-477: Is probable some still move into eastern Oregon from Idaho. Oregon is home to what is considered the largest single organism in the world, an Armillaria solidipes fungus beneath the Malheur National Forest of eastern Oregon. Oregon has several National Park System sites , including Crater Lake National Park in the southern part of the Cascades, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument east of

Interstate 84 in Oregon - Misplaced Pages Continue

5536-454: Is rounded down phonetically, from Ouve água —Oragua, Or-a-gon, Oregon—given probably by the same Portuguese navigator that named the Farallones after his first officer, and it literally, in a large way, means cascades: "Hear the waters." You should steam up the Columbia and hear and feel the waters falling out of the clouds of Mount Hood to understand entirely the full meaning of the name Ouve

5709-519: Is the ninth largest state in the U.S. Oregon's highest point is the summit of Mount Hood, at 11,249 feet (3,429 m), and its lowest point is the sea level of the Pacific Ocean along the Oregon Coast. Oregon's mean elevation is 3,300 feet (1,006 m). Crater Lake National Park , the state's only national park, is the site of the deepest lake in the U.S. at 1,943 feet (592 m). Oregon claims

5882-484: Is the state's highest point. Oregon's only national park, Crater Lake National Park , comprises the caldera surrounding Crater Lake , the deepest lake in the U.S. The state is also home to the single largest organism in the world, Armillaria ostoyae , a fungus that runs beneath 2,200 acres (8.9 km ) of the Malheur National Forest . Oregon's economy has historically been powered by various forms of agriculture, fishing, logging, and hydroelectric power. Oregon

6055-600: Is the third-most populous city in Oregon, with 175,535 residents. Portland , with 652,503, ranks as the 26th among U.S. cities. The Portland metropolitan area , which includes neighboring counties in Washington, is the 25th largest metro area in the nation, with a population of 2,512,859. Oregon is also one of the most geographically diverse states in the U.S., marked by volcanoes, abundant bodies of water, dense evergreen and mixed forests, as well as high deserts and semi-arid shrublands . At 11,249 feet (3,429 m), Mount Hood

6228-593: Is the top lumber producer of the contiguous U.S. , with the lumber industry dominating the state's economy during the 20th century. Technology is another one of Oregon's major economic forces, beginning in the 1970s with the establishment of the Silicon Forest and the expansion of Tektronix and Intel . Sportswear company Nike, Inc. , headquartered in Beaverton , is the state's largest public corporation with an annual revenue of $ 46.7 billion. The origin of

6401-544: The -sint below, so there appeared to be a river flowing to the west named " Ouaricon ". According to the Oregon Tourism Commission , present-day Oregonians / ˌ ɒr ɪ ˈ ɡ oʊ n i ə n z / pronounce the state's name as "or-uh-gun, never or-ee-gone". After being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2002, former Oregon Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington distributed "Orygun" stickers to members of

6574-825: The Buena Vista Ferry between Marion County and Polk County south of Independence and Salem, the Wheatland Ferry between Marion County and Polk County north of Salem and Keizer, and Canby Ferry in Clackamas County north of Canby. Since 1900, more than 15 large dams and many smaller ones have been built in the Willamette's drainage basin, 13 of which are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The dams are used primarily to produce hydroelectricity , to maintain reservoirs for recreation, and to prevent flooding. The river and its tributaries support 60 fish species, including many species of salmon and trout ; this

6747-838: The Clackamas River are owned by Portland General Electric . These include the River Mill Hydroelectric Project , the Oak Grove project, and the dam at Timothy Lake . The 50 or so crossings of the Willamette River include many historic structures, such as the Van Buren Street Bridge , a swing bridge . Built in 1913, it carries Oregon Route 34 (Corvallis–Lebanon Highway) over the river upstream of RM 131 (RK 211) in Corvallis. The machinery to operate

6920-554: The Coast Fork Willamette River , and Dorena on the Row River . Due to these tall dams, Chinook salmon and steelhead are blocked from roughly half of their historic habitat and spawning grounds on the Willamette's major tributaries. Unable to live and reproduce as they once did, they have been "brought to the brink of extinction". Endangered species listings and a subsequent lawsuit by Willamette Riverkeeper led to

7093-668: The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum and through the suburban areas of the city, separated from the river by an industrial park that includes a major data center for Google . The freeway returns to the river near downtown The Dalles , crossing southeast over US 30 twice as it remains on city streets. US 30 returns to I-84 east of The Dalles at an intersection with US 197 , which travels south towards Bend and north across The Dalles Bridge to WA 14 near Dallesport, Washington . The freeway passes The Dalles Dam and continues northeast around

Interstate 84 in Oregon - Misplaced Pages Continue

7266-748: The Columbia Plateau , the High Desert , and the Blue Mountains . Oregon lies in two time zones . Most of Malheur County is in the Mountain Time Zone , while the rest of the state lies in the Pacific Time Zone . Western Oregon's mountainous regions, home to three of the most prominent mountain peaks of the U.S. including Mount Hood, were formed by the volcanic activity of the Juan de Fuca Plate ,

7439-673: The Columbia River , which it follows into the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area . The freeway runs east along the foot of the gorge, passing through several state parks and scenic viewpoints connected via the Historic Columbia River Highway , including Multnomah Falls —the second-tallest year-round waterfall in the United States and one of the state's most visited tourist destinations. I-84 runs opposite from Washington State Route 14 (WA 14) on

7612-551: The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area . It passes through the cities of Hood River and The Dalles within the gorge and also serves several state parks and natural monuments. Near Pendleton , it leaves the Columbia River and runs southeasterly across the Blue Mountains via La Grande and Baker City . I-84 crosses the Snake River at Ontario, continuing southeast towards Boise, Idaho . I-84

7785-632: The D River as the shortest river in the world, though the state of Montana makes the same claim of its Roe River . Oregon is also home to Mill Ends Park (in Portland), the smallest park in the world at 452 square inches (0.29 m ). Oregon is split into eight geographical regions. In Western Oregon : Oregon Coast (west of the Coast Range ), the Willamette Valley, Rogue Valley , Cascade Range and Klamath Mountains ; and in Central and Eastern Oregon :

7958-715: The Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area near Meacham , located in the Umatilla National Forest . Near Kamela , I-84 crosses the Blue Mountain summit, the second highest point of any freeway in the state at 4,193 feet (1,278 m) above sea level. I-84 descends from the central Blue Mountains along Railroad Canyon, named for the Union Pacific line that runs through it, and reaches a junction with OR 244 at Hilgard Junction . From Hilgard,

8131-590: The Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate , creating the forearc basin that would later become the Willamette Valley. The valley was initially part of the continental shelf , rather than a separate inland sea. Many layers of marine deposits formed in the forearc basin and cover the older Siletz River Volcanics. About 20 to 16 million years ago, uplift formed the Coast Range and separated

8304-548: The John Day Dam to the John Day River , where it crosses into Gilliam County . I-84 and US 30 continue east along the river, now the expanded Lake Umatilla , and reaches Arlington at the foot of Alkali Canyon. There, it intersects OR 19 in an interchange that is split into two halves by Earl Snell Memorial Park. OR 19 travels south to Columbia Ridge, a major landfill that serves Portland and Seattle , and

8477-648: The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument . From Arlington, I-84 runs northeast along the edge of the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm , the second-largest wind farm in the United States, and intersects OR 74 at Willow Creek. After reaching Morrow County , the terrain opens into wide rangelands, including the Boardman Naval Weapons Training Facility that the freeway passes to the north. I-84 continues through

8650-838: The Kingdom of Great Britain . The term referred to the then-mythical River of the West (the Columbia River). By 1778, the spelling had shifted to Oregon . Rogers wrote: ...   from the Great Lakes towards the Head of the Mississippi, and from thence to the River called by the Indians Ouragon   ... One suggestion is that this name comes from the French word ouragan ("windstorm" or "hurricane"), which

8823-425: The La Grande/Union County Airport . The freeway continues south through the Grande Ronde Valley to Ladd Canyon, which it follows while gently ascending part of Craig Mountain at the edge of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest . I-84 then descends into a wide valley and splits from US 30 at an interchange with OR 237 in North Powder . The two highways continue south into Baker County , but are separated by

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8996-427: The Lewis and Clark and Astor Expeditions. Few stayed permanently such as Étienne Lussier, often referred to as the first "European" farmer in the state of Oregon. Evidence of the French Canadian presence can be found in numerous names of French origin such as Malheur Lake , the Malheur , Grande Ronde , and Deschutes Rivers , and the city of La Grande . Furthermore, many of the early pioneers first came out West with

9169-419: The Lloyd Center and Holladay Park , the Banfield Freeway is joined by MAX Light Rail trains, which stop along stations on the north side of the freeway. I-84 serves several local interchanges, which often lack exits for both directions of the freeway, in the neighborhoods of Kerns , Hollywood , North Tabor , and Madison South while following the meandering gulch. After an interchange with OR 213 ,

9342-411: The Lloyd District . It opened in July 2022 and cost $ 13.7 million to construct. Oregon Oregon ( / ˈ ɒr ɪ ɡ ən , - ɡ ɒ n / ORR -ih-ghən , -⁠gon ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S. , with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington , while

9515-427: The Middle Fork Willamette River and the Coast Fork Willamette River near Springfield , the main stem Willamette meanders generally north for 187 miles (301 km) to the Columbia River . The river's two most significant course deviations occur at Newberg , where it turns sharply east, and about 18 miles (29 km) downstream from Newberg, where it turns north again. Near its mouth north of downtown Portland ,

9688-402: The Missoula Floods —a series of large outpourings originating at Glacial Lake Missoula in Montana—swept down the Columbia River and backfilled the Willamette watershed. Each flood produced "discharges that exceeded the annual discharge of all the present-day rivers of the world combined". Filling the Willamette basin to depths of 400 feet (120 m) in the Portland region, each flood created

9861-450: The North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company before heading South of the Columbia for better farmland as the fur trade declined. French Prairie by the Willamette River and French Settlement by the Umpqua River are known as early mixed ancestry settlements. The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through northern Oregon also in search of the Northwest Passage . They built their winter fort in 1805–1806 at Fort Clatsop , near

10034-445: The Oregon State Capitol in Salem. Evidence suggests that massive quakes of 8 or more on the Richter scale have occurred historically in the Cascadia subduction zone off the Oregon coast, most recently in 1700 CE , and that others as strong as 9 on the Richter scale occur every 500 to 800 years. The basin's high population density, its nearness to this subduction zone, and its loose soils, which tend to amplify shaking, make

10207-582: The Oregon Trail during the 19th century. The gorge itself was traversed via boat until the construction of a wagon road in the 1870s that was upgraded to a water-level route that opened in 1882. The wagon roads were replaced by the Columbia River Highway , built from 1913 to 1922 and paved with asphaltic concrete . The gorge road was incorporated into a longer highway from Astoria to Pendleton designated as Columbia River Highway No. 2 in 1917 as part of Oregon's first state highway system. The new system also included Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6, which followed

10380-500: The Powder River and Coyote Point. I-84 intersects OR 86 and the south end of OR 203 near Baker City Municipal Airport , at the edge of Baker City . The freeway passes the east side of Baker City, intersecting OR 7 , and continues south through a cut in the city's southeastern hill. I-84 and US 30 are rejoined and follow Sutton and Alder creeks southeast through Pleasant Valley, an area notorious for inclement weather due to its microclimate . The surrounding area

10553-438: The Sandy River did the explorers learn about their oversight. William Clark returned down the Columbia and entered the Willamette River in April 1806. Fur trappers originally working for the Pacific Fur Company (PFC)) and subsequently for the North West Company (NWC) were next to visit the Willamette River and various tributaries. The Siskiyou Trail (or California-Oregon Trail) originally developed by Indigenous people,

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10726-535: The Siletz , the Nestucca , the Trask , and the Wilson to the west; the Nehalem and the Clatskanie to the northwest, and the Columbia River to the north. About 2.5 million people lived in the Willamette River basin as of 2010, about 65 percent of the population of Oregon. As of 2009, the basin contained 20 of the 25 most populous cities in Oregon. These cities include Springfield, Eugene, Corvallis, Albany, Salem, Keizer, Newberg, Oregon City, West Linn, Milwaukie, Lake Oswego, and Portland. The largest

10899-447: The Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho . The 42° north parallel delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada . The western boundary is formed by the Pacific Ocean . Oregon has been home to many indigenous nations for thousands of years. The first European traders, explorers, and settlers began exploring what is now Oregon's Pacific coast in the early to mid-16th century. As early as 1564,

11072-427: The Snake River . The freeway leaves the river at an interchange with OR 201 near Huffman Island and continues southeast across several cuts and embankments dug into an arm of the Blue Mountains. I-84 continues into the Payette Valley and intersects OR 201 (co-signed with US 30 Business ) in the northern outskirts of Ontario . The freeway continues along the Snake River, bypassing downtown Ontario to

11245-402: The Spanish began sending vessels northeast from the Philippines , riding the Kuroshio Current in a sweeping circular route across the northern part of the Pacific. In 1592, Juan de Fuca undertook detailed mapping and studies of ocean currents in the Pacific Northwest, including the Oregon coast as well as the strait now bearing his name. The Lewis and Clark Expedition traversed Oregon in

11418-427: The Umatilla River and the old Oregon Trail to Pendleton , which lies in a valley formed by the river. West of the city, near the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport , US 30 leaves the concurrency to run through downtown on city streets. After passing the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution and crossing the river, US 395 splits from I-84 at Southgate, heading south towards John Day . I-84 continues around

11591-489: The eastern United States , mainly the Upland South borderlands of Missouri, Iowa, and the Ohio Valley. Many of these emigrants followed the Oregon Trail , a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) trail across western North America that began at Independence, Missouri , and ended at various locations near the mouth of the Willamette River. Although people had been traveling to Oregon since 1836, large-scale migration did not begin until 1843, when nearly 1,000 pioneers headed westward. Over

11764-432: The forced relocation of the native population to Indian reservations in Oregon . The first Oregon proposition for a railroad in Oregon was made in 1850 by H. M. Knighton, the original owner of the townsite of St. Helens . Knighton asserted that this would fulfill his township's belief that it should be the supreme metropolitan seaport in that area upon the Columbia River, as opposed to Portland. He suggested building

11937-465: The last glacial period and filled the valley with 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m) of water. By the 16th century, Oregon was home to many Native American groups, including the Chinook , Coquille (Ko-Kwell), Bannock , Kalapuya , Klamath , Klickitat , Molala , Nez Perce , Shasta , Takelma , Umatilla , and Umpqua . The first Europeans to visit Oregon were Spanish explorers led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo , who sighted southern Oregon off

12110-555: The shrublands of the Columbia Plateau . I-84 and US 30 travel northeast to Biggs Junction , where it intersects US 97 at the south end of the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge , which continues across the river to Maryhill State Park in Maryhill —an early planned community by businessman Sam Hill that features a Stonehenge replica and had the first paved roads in the Northwest. US 97 also continues south from Biggs Junction to Bend and north to Goldendale and Yakima . The freeway continues northeast through Rufus and past

12283-437: The "water level" route in 1954. One of the segments completed in the early 1950s was the Banfield Expressway in Portland. After the passing of the Federal Interstate and Defense Highways Act in 1956, US 30 was scheduled to be superseded by a new freeway, on an alignment closer to the river on flat terrain. The segment between Portland and The Dalles was mostly complete by 1963, but it would take until 1968 for construction of

12456-592: The 1940s through the 1960s and are operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Of those 13, 9 produce hydropower. Flood-control dams operated by the USACE are estimated to hold up to 27 percent of the Willamette's runoff. They are used to regulate river flows so as to cut peaks off floods and increase low flows in late summer and autumn, and to divert water into deeper, narrower channels to prevent flooding. A relatively small of amount of

12629-453: The 1960s, Oregon Governor Tom McCall led a push for stronger pollution controls on the Willamette. In this, he was encouraged by Robert (Bob) Straub —the state treasurer and future Oregon governor (1975)—who first proposed a Willamette Greenway program during his 1966 gubernatorial campaign against McCall. The Oregon State Legislature established the program in 1967. Through it, state and local governments cooperated in creating or improving

12802-529: The Banfield Expressway from Northeast 42nd Street to Troutdale opened on October 1, 1955, as Oregon's first freeway. The full length, stretching 13 miles (21 km) from the Burnside Bridge to Troutdale, opened on January 24, 1958, with the completion of the section west of Northeast 42nd Avenue. The section through Sullivan's Gulch had been used by the Union Pacific Railroad beginning in 1882 and had

12975-834: The Cascade Range to 10 feet (3.0 m) at the mouth on the Columbia River. Watersheds bordering the Willamette River basin are those of the Little Deschutes River to the southeast, the Deschutes River to the east, and the Sandy River to the northeast; the North Umpqua and Umpqua rivers to the south; coastal rivers including (from south to north) the Siuslaw , the Alsea , the Yaquina ,

13148-455: The Cascades, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park on the north coast, and Oregon Caves National Monument near the south coast. Other areas that were considered for potential national park status in the 20th century include the southern Oregon Coast, Mount Hood, and Hells Canyon to the east. Willamette River Originally created by plate tectonics about 35 million years ago and subsequently altered by volcanism and erosion,

13321-468: The City of Portland and the State of Oregon to dramatically reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) led to Portland's Big Pipe Project . The project, part of a related series of Portland CSO projects completed in late 2011 at a cost of $ 1.44 billion, separates the city's sanitary sewer lines from storm-water inputs that sometimes overwhelmed the combined system during heavy rains. When that occurred, some of

13494-588: The Clackamas' tribal population was roughly 1,800. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the Chinook population was nearly 5,000, though not all of the Chinook lived on the Willamette. The Chinook territory encompassed the lower Columbia River valley and significant stretches of the Pacific coast on both the north and the south side of the Columbia's mouth. At times, however, the Chinook territory extended even farther south in

13667-482: The Coast Range to barren desert in the southeast, which still meets the technical definition of a frontier . Oregon's geographical center is further west than any of the other 48 contiguous states (although the westernmost point of the lower 48 states is in Washington). Central Oregon 's geographical features range from high desert and volcanic rock formations resulting from lava beds . The Oregon Badlands Wilderness

13840-536: The Columbia River Gorge in the 1960s and across northeastern Oregon in the 1970s. The final section of I-84, near Baker City, was opened to traffic on July 3, 1975. Interstate 84 is the longest freeway in Oregon, at over 375 miles (604 km) in length, and is the only Interstate to traverse the state from west to east. The highway connects the Portland metropolitan area to the Columbia River Gorge ,

14013-645: The Columbia River Gorge is considered one of the most scenic sections of the Interstate Highway System and is visited by 4.5 million tourists annually. Interstate 84 begins across from downtown Portland at an interchange with I-5 on the east bank of the Willamette River , between the Burnside and Steel bridges and adjacent to the Oregon Convention Center complex. The interchange is also

14186-471: The Columbia River. Between the 1850s and the 1960s, channel-straightening and flood control projects, as well as agricultural and urban encroachment, cut the length of the river between the McKenzie River confluence and Harrisburg by 65 percent. Similarly, the river was shortened by 40 percent in the stretch between Harrisburg and Albany. Interstate 5 and three branches of Oregon Route 99 are

14359-651: The Columbia about 101 miles (163 km) from the Columbia's mouth on the Pacific Ocean. The smaller Multnomah Channel , a distributary , is 21 miles (34 km) long, about 600 feet (180 m) wide, and 40 feet (12 m) deep. It ends about 14.5 miles (23.3 km) farther downstream on the Columbia, near St. Helens in Columbia County . Proposals have been made for deepening the Multnomah Channel to 43 feet (13 m) in conjunction with roughly 103.5 miles (166.6 km) of tandem-maintained navigation on

14532-550: The Columbia to Bachelor Island . Rockwell's survey was extremely detailed, including 17,782 hydrographic soundings. His work helped open the port of Portland to commerce. In the second half of the 19th century, the USACE dredged channels and built locks and levees in the Willamette's watershed. Although products such as lumber were often transported on an existing network of railroads in Oregon, these advances in navigation helped businesses deliver more goods to Portland, feeding

14705-769: The HBC merged with the NWC. In 1825 a new Fort Vancouver headquarters was built on the north shore of the Columbia closer to the Willamette, and Fort George was closed. Alexander Roderick McLeod traveled up the Willamette in 1826 and 1827, to the Umpqua and the Rogue rivers. In 1829 Lucier established a land claim near the Champoeg trading post and started to settle, soon joined by Gervais (1831), Pierre Belleque (1833) and 77 French Canadian settlers by 1836. By 1843, approximately 100 newcomer families lived in

14878-580: The Hudson's Bay Company, reversed the Hudson's Bay Company's long-standing policy of discouraging settlement because it interfered with the lucrative fur trade. He directed that some 200 Red River Colony settlers be relocated to HBC farms near Fort Vancouver, (the James Sinclair expedition), in an attempt to hold Columbia District. Starting in 1842–1843, the Oregon Trail brought many new American settlers to

15051-510: The Middle and Coast forks and the McKenzie , Long Tom , Marys , Calapooia , Santiam , Luckiamute , Yamhill , Molalla , Tualatin , and Clackamas rivers. Beginning at 438 feet (134 m) above sea level, the main stem descends 428 feet (130 m) between source and mouth, or about 2.3 feet per mile (0.4 m per km). The gradient is slightly steeper from the source to Albany than it

15224-478: The Native Americans. Upper-river tribes caught steelhead and salmon, often by building weirs across tributary streams. Tribes of the northern Willamette Valley practiced a generally settled lifestyle. The Chinooks lived in great wooden lodges , practiced slavery , and had a well-defined caste system. People of the south were more nomadic, traveling from place to place with the seasons. They were known for

15397-540: The Oregon Country. Oregon's boundaries were disputed for a time, contributing to tensions between the U.K. and the U.S., but the border was defined peacefully in the 1846 Oregon Treaty . The border between the U.S. and British North America was set at the 49th parallel . The Oregon Territory was officially organized on August 13, 1848. Settlement increased with the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 and

15570-621: The PFC. Free trappers Registre Bellaire, John Day and Alexander Carson hunted and traded furs during the winter of 1813-14 along the Willamette. About thirty NWC employees were stationed at the Champoeg post, now called the Willamette Trading Post , along with freemen housed in two huts and Kalapuya nearby. Nez Perce and Cayuse warned the NWC to stay out of the Willamette Valley hunting grounds. Skirmishes went on for several years over fishing and hunting grounds contended by several groups. By

15743-720: The Pacific Northwest was particularly affected by the 1973 oil crisis , with Oregon suffering a substantial shortage. In 1972, the Oregon Beverage Container Act of 1971, popularly called the Bottle Bill, became the first law of its kind in the United States. The Bottle Bill system in Oregon was created to control litter. In practice, the system promotes recycling, not reusing, and the collected containers are generally destroyed and made into new containers. Ten states currently have similar laws. In 1994, Oregon became

15916-760: The Pacific coast in 1543. Sailing from Central America on the Golden Hind in 1579 in search of the Strait of Anian during his circumnavigation of the Earth , the English explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake briefly anchored at South Cove, Cape Arago , just south of Coos Bay , before sailing for what is now California. Martín de Aguilar , continuing separately from Sebastián Vizcaíno 's scouting of California, reached as far north as Cape Blanco and possibly to Coos Bay in 1603. Exploration continued routinely in 1774, starting with

16089-407: The West, although the periodic fluctuations in the U.S. building industry have hurt the state's economy on multiple occasions. Portland, in particular, experienced a population boom between 1900 and 1930, tripling in size; the arrival of World War II also provided the northwest region of the state with an industrial boom, where Liberty ships and aircraft carriers were constructed. During the 1970s,

16262-527: The Willamette Falls Locks have been inactive. As commerce and industry flourished on the lower river, most of the original settlers acquired farms in the upper Willamette Valley. By the late 1850s, farmers had begun to grow crops on most of the available fertile land. The settlers increasingly encroached on Native American lands. Skirmishes between natives and settlers in the Umpqua and Rogue valleys to

16435-437: The Willamette River was divided into two stretches: the 27-mile (43 km) lower stretch from Portland to Oregon City—which allowed connection with the rest of the Columbia River system—and the upper reach, which encompassed most of the Willamette's length. Any boats whose owners found it absolutely necessary to get past the falls had to be portaged . This led to competition for business among steam portage companies. In 1873,

16608-472: The Willamette Valley especially vulnerable to damage from strong earthquakes. The Willamette River drains a region of 11,478 square miles (29,730 km ), which is 12 percent of the total area of Oregon. Bounded by the Coast Range to the west and the Cascade Range to the east, the river basin is about 180 miles (290 km) long and 100 miles (160 km) wide. Elevations within the watershed range from 10,495 feet (3,199 m) at Mount Jefferson in

16781-659: The Willamette Valley were further divided into groups including the Kalapuyan-speaking Yamhill and Atfalati (Tualatin) (both Northern Kalapuya), Central Kalapuya like the Santiam , Muddy Creek (Chemapho), Long Tom (Chelamela), Calapooia (Tsankupi), Marys River (Chepenafa) and Luckiamute, and the Yoncalla or Southern Kalapuya, as well other tribes such as the Chuchsney-Tufti, Siuslaw and Molala . The name Willamette

16954-435: The Willamette Valley. The total native population was estimated at 15,000. The indigenous peoples of the Willamette River practiced a variety of life ways. Those on the lower river, slightly closer to the coast, often relied on fishing as their primary economic mainstay. Salmon was the most important fish to Willamette River tribes as well as to the Native Americans of the Columbia River, where white traders traded fish with

17127-625: The Willamette Valley. These included the Kalapuya , the Chinook , and the Clackamas . The territory of the Clackamas encompassed the northeastern portion of the basin, including the Clackamas River (with which their name is shared). Although it is unclear exactly when, the territory of the Chinook once extended across the northern part of the watershed, through the Columbia River valley. Indigenous peoples of

17300-488: The Willamette basin. The highest flow recorded at this station was 420,000 cubic feet per second (11,893 m /s) on February 9, 1996, during the Willamette Valley Flood of 1996 , and the minimum was 4,200 cubic feet per second (120 m /s) on July 10, 1978. The highest recorded flow of 635,000 cubic feet per second (18,000 m /s) for the Willamette at a different gauge in Portland occurred during

17473-528: The Willamette ranks 19th in volume among rivers in the United States and contributes 12 to 15 percent of the total flow of the Columbia River. The Willamette's flow varies considerably season to season, averaging about 8,200 cubic feet per second (230 m /s) in August to more than 79,000 cubic feet per second (2,200 m /s) in December. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) operates five stream gauges along

17646-444: The Willamette, continued on until the falls portage (present-day Oregon City ) and finished their journey at a flattening of both banks, the later site of Champoeg . A first trading post was established. By early 1813, William Wallace and John C. Halsey established a second outpost, Wallace House , farther south, north of present-day Salem. By the end of the War of 1812 , the NWC acquired

17819-497: The abundance of fur-bearing animals in the area. Also in 1811, New Yorker John Jacob Astor financed the establishment of Fort Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River as a western outpost to his Pacific Fur Company ; this was the first permanent European settlement in Oregon. In the War of 1812 , the British gained control of all Pacific Fur Company posts. The Treaty of 1818 established joint British and American occupancy of

17992-471: The basalt with up to 1,000 feet (300 m) of silt in the Portland and Tualatin basins. During the Pleistocene , beginning roughly 2.5 million years ago, volcanic activity in the Cascades combined with a cool, moist climate to produce further heavy sedimentation across the basin, and braided rivers created alluvial fans spreading down from the east. Between about 15,500 and 13,000 years ago,

18165-602: The basin from the Pacific Ocean. Basalts of the Columbia River Basalt Group , from eruptions primarily in eastern Oregon , flowed across large parts of the northern half of the basin about 15 million years ago. They covered the Tualatin Mountains (West Hills), most of the Tualatin Valley , and the slopes of hills farther south, with up to 1,000 feet (300 m) of lava . Later deposits covered

18338-538: The city of Boardman and turns southeast, leaving the river to intersect US 730 and pass under the Umatilla Army Depot , which is planned to be redeveloped into industrial land and a wildlife refuge . Formerly a 25,000-acre (10,000 ha) poplar tree farm was planted in rows for 6 miles (9.7 km) along I-84 just east of Boardman and was considered a scenic sight and a community fixture. The trees were cut down in 2016 and other crops were planted. At

18511-468: The city's easternmost suburban neighborhoods. The freeway briefly enters northern Gresham and passes through the neighboring cities of Fairview and Wood Village before reaching Troutdale . It passes north of downtown Troutdale and crosses over the Sandy River near Troutdale Airport , entering the Sandy River Delta nature reserve . I-84 and US 30 emerge from the park at the south bank of

18684-483: The city's first officially recognized public swimming beach, Poet's Beach . There are more than 20 major dams on the Willamette's tributaries, as well as a complex series of levees and channels to control the river's flow. The only dam on the Willamette's main stem is the Willamette Falls Dam, a low weir -type structure at Willamette Falls that diverts water into the headraces of the adjacent mills and

18857-414: The city's growing economy. Trade goods from the Columbia basin north of Portland could also be transported southward on the Willamette due to the deeper channels made at the Willamette's mouth. By the early 20th century, major river-control projects had begun to take place. Levees were constructed along the river in most urban areas, and Portland built concrete walls to protect its downtown sector. In

19030-487: The construction of the Willamette Falls Locks bypassed the falls and allowed easy navigation between the upper and lower river. Each lock chamber measured 210 feet (64 m) long and 40 feet (12 m) wide, and the canal was originally operated manually before it switched to electrical power. Usage of the locks peaked in the 1940s, and by the early 21st century, the lock system was little used. Since 2011,

19203-533: The controlled burning of woodlands to create meadows for hunting and plant gathering (especially camas ). The Willamette River first appeared in written records in 1792, when it was observed by British Lieutenant William Robert Broughton of the Vancouver Expedition , led by George Vancouver . The 1805-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition originally missed the mouth of the Willamette. On their return journey, only after receiving directions from natives along

19376-440: The creation of the Banfield, surface streets were the only routes from Portland to the country. Under President Dwight D. Eisenhower , the federal government had started providing federal assistance to expressway projects. As a result, planners designed a freeway system in Portland. The first step in building this new freeway system was to construct the Banfield, which would stretch from Portland to Troutdale . The first section of

19549-549: The crest of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. From the bridge, I-84 briefly leaves the river's edge and travels around the south side of Cascade Locks, while US 30 splits from the freeway and runs through the town. The two highways are rejoined near Cascade Locks State Airport and return to the shore of the river near Government Cove. Near this area, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs proposed to build

19722-476: The demolition and replacement of twelve overpasses and the closure of several ramps. The Portland Bureau of Transportation built a 470-foot (140 m) pedestrian and bicycle bridge over a section of the Banfield Expressway in the early 2020s. The bridge, named the Earl Blumenauer Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, connects two ends of Northeast 7th Avenue (near Grand Avenue) between East Portland and

19895-579: The early 1800s, and the first permanent European settlements in Oregon were established by fur trappers and traders. In 1843, an autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country , and the Oregon Territory was created in 1848. Oregon became the 33rd state of the U.S. on February 14, 1859. Today, with 4.2 million people over 98,000 square miles (250,000 km ), Oregon is the ninth largest and 27th most populous U.S. state. The capital, Salem ,

20068-467: The expedition of the frigate Santiago by Juan José Pérez Hernández , and the coast of Oregon became a valuable trade route to Asia. In 1778, British captain James Cook also explored the coast. French Canadians , Scots , Métis , and other continental natives (e.g. Iroquois ) trappers arrived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, soon to be followed by Catholic clergy. Some traveled as members of

20241-403: The final section of I-84 opened near Baker City . The highway was initially designated in 1957 as Interstate 82, but was renumbered as Interstate 80N in 1958 to correspond with US 30 and give Oregon a "transcontinental" number. Oregon leaders had originally requested the designation of Interstate 80, but accepted I-80N as a compromise. It remained as Interstate 80N until May 1, 1980, when it

20414-493: The first U.S. state to legalize physician-assisted suicide through the Oregon Death with Dignity Act . A measure to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Oregon was approved on November 4, 2014, making Oregon only the second state at the time to have legalized gay marriage , physician-assisted suicide, and recreational marijuana. Self service gasoline was banned in Oregon from 1951 until August 2023. Although self-serve

20587-447: The following decades, many large dams were built on Cascade Range tributaries of the Willamette. The Army Corps of Engineers operates 13 such dams, which affect flows from about 40 percent of the basin. Most of them do not have fish ladders. With development in and near the river came increased pollution. By the late 1930s, efforts to stem the pollution led to formation of a state sanitary board to oversee modest cleanup efforts. In

20760-487: The foot of Signal Hill and Kaser Ridge to Celilo Village , where it intersects OR 206 . OR 206 continues along the south side of the freeway as both roads cross the Deschutes River into Sherman County and travels southeasterly towards Condon . The Deschutes River marks the eastern end of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, though the gorge itself continues further northeast through

20933-475: The founding of the town in 1829. McLoughlin attempted to persuade the HBC (which still held sway over the area) to allow American settlers to live on the land, and provided significant help to American colonization of the area, all against the HBC's orders. Oregon City prospered because of the lumber and grist mills that were run by the water power of Willamette Falls, but the falls formed an impassable barrier to river navigation. Linn City (originally Robins Nest)

21106-495: The freeway intersects the city's north–south bypass, I-205 . The two freeways run parallel to each other for one mile (2 km), with I-205 and the MAX Light Rail tracks to the west, the railroad and a multi-use path in the center, and I-84 on the east, along the east side of Rocky Butte . At Fremont Street, I-84 splits from I-205 and the MAX Light Rail tracks to continue east along Sandy Boulevard ( US 30 Bypass ) through

21279-598: The government to a part of the Coast Reservation that later became the Grande Ronde Reservation . Between 1879 and 1885, the Willamette River was charted by Cleveland S. Rockwell , a topographical engineer and cartographer for the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey . Rockwell surveyed the lower Willamette from the foot of Ross Island through Portland to the Columbia River and then downstream on

21452-479: The growth of railroads expanded the state's lumber , wheat , and other agricultural markets, and the rapid growth of its cities. Due to the abundance of timber and waterway access via the Willamette River, Portland became a major force in the lumber industry of the Pacific Northwest , and quickly became the state's largest city. It would earn the nickname "Stumptown", and would later become recognized as one of

21625-447: The highway to meet Interstate highway standards. Several sections of the Historic Columbia River Highway were destroyed to accommodate the wider highway, including the iconic Mitchell Point Tunnel . Further work on the section in the eastern gorge, from The Dalles to Pendleton, began in the 1950s and was completed in 1964. Construction on the remaining segment between Pendleton and Ontario began in 1965 and continued until July 3, 1975, when

21798-488: The highway travels east along the meandering Grande Ronde River to La Grande , seat of Union County and home to Eastern Oregon University . US 30 splits from I-84 and runs through downtown, while I-84 bypasses the city on its northeast side, crossing over the Grande Ronde River and intersecting OR 82 . I-84 and US 30 are reunited southeast of the city at an interchange with OR 203 , just west of

21971-546: The historic Oregon Trail from Pendleton to Ontario on the Idaho state border, passing through La Grande and Baker City . The two highways were signed as US 30 under the national numbered highway system , approved in 1926 by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO). Improvements to the Columbia River Highway and Old Oregon Trail Highway had been planned since the early 1930s, primarily centered on

22144-464: The lane had a passenger volume of 1,075 people in the peak hour of traffic with an average of 2.81 people per rideshare vehicle, compared to 2,272 passengers per hour and 1.18 passengers per car for the regular lanes. The lane was calculated to have 88 percent excess capacity in the peak hour of traffic, remaining relatively open. A report noted a 12 percent violation rate of the HOV lane and that enforcement of

22317-465: The lane was difficult because there was no shoulder for police to pull over a driver. The HOV lane was removed in 1982 for the start of freeway widening work and TriMet MAX construction . The highway was widened to eight lanes during the 1980s, and the MAX Light Rail 's Blue Line was added along the north side at the same time in 1986. Construction of the widened freeway and light rail line required

22490-646: The largest of these originally weighed about 160 short tons (150 t). The northern part of the watershed is underlain by a network of faults capable of producing earthquakes at any time, and many small quakes have been recorded in the basin since the mid-19th century. In 1993, the Scotts Mills earthquake —the largest recent earthquake in the valley, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale —was centered near Scotts Mills , about 34 miles (55 km) south of Portland. It caused $ 30 million in damage, including harm to

22663-783: The largest water storage capacity, at 477,700 acre-feet (589,200,000 m ). The other 11 dams are Big Cliff on the North Santiam River; Green Peter and Foster on the Santiam River ; Cougar on the South Fork McKenzie River ; Blue River on the Blue River ; Fern Ridge on the Long Tom River ; Hills Creek and Dexter on the Middle Fork Willamette River; Fall Creek on Fall Creek ; Cottage Grove on

22836-489: The lower 48 states. Moose have not always inhabited the state but came to Oregon in the 1960s; the Wallowa Valley herd numbered about 60 as of 2013 . Gray wolves were extirpated from Oregon around 1930 but have since found their way back; most reside in northeast Oregon, with two packs living in the south-central part. Although their existence in Oregon is unconfirmed, reports of grizzly bears still turn up, and it

23009-429: The media as a reminder of how to pronounce the name of his home state. The stickers are sold by the University of Oregon Bookstore . While there is considerable evidence that Paleo-Indians inhabited the region, the oldest evidence of habitation in Oregon was found at Fort Rock Cave and the Paisley Caves in Lake County . Archaeologist Luther Cressman dated material from Fort Rock to 13,200 years ago, and there

23182-415: The most dangerous port cities in the United States due to racketeering and illegal activities at the turn of the 20th century. In 1902, Oregon introduced direct legislation by the state's citizens through initiatives and referendums , known as the Oregon System . On May 5, 1945, six civilians were killed by a Japanese balloon bomb that exploded on Gearhart Mountain near Bly . They remained

23355-466: The mouth of the Columbia River, staying at the encampment from December until March. British explorer David Thompson also conducted overland exploration. In 1811, while working for the North West Company, Thompson became the first European to navigate the entire Columbia River. Stopping on the way, at the junction of the Snake River, he posted a claim to the region for Great Britain and the North West Company. Upon returning to Montreal , he publicized

23528-419: The next 25 years, some 500,000 settlers traveled the Oregon Trail, to reach the Willamette Valley. Starting in the 1830s, Oregon City developed near Willamette Falls. It was incorporated in 1844, becoming the first city west of the Rocky Mountains to have that distinction. John McLoughlin , the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) superintendent of the Columbia District , was one of the major contributors to

23701-482: The non-profit Willamette Riverkeeper organization designated the full length of the river as the Willamette River Water Trail. Four years later, the National Park Service added the Willamette water trail—expanded to 217 miles (349 km) to include some of the major tributaries—to its list of National Water Trails . The water trail system is meant to protect and restore waterways in the United States and enhance recreation on and near them. A 1991 agreement between

23874-425: The north bank of the river, which also carries Amtrak 's Empire Builder passenger trains, and several large mountains that are visible from the freeway. The highway reaches the Bonneville Dam , where it provides the main access to the visitors center on Bradford Island, and passes three regional fish hatcheries . Adjacent to the dam, the freeway reaches a basalt cliff under Tooth Rock, which it traverses using

24047-549: The north, and reaches an interchange with Idaho Avenue, where US 30 splits to cross into Fruitland, Idaho . I-84 travels south and passes Ontario's northbound welcome center , which receives up to 55,000 visitors annually, before crossing the Snake River into Idaho west of Fruitland. Within Idaho, I-84 travels east into the Treasure Valley (including Boise ) and Magic Valley before continuing on towards Salt Lake City, Utah . The Columbia River Gorge and overland crossing between The Dalles and Idaho were originally part of

24220-474: The northeastern Columbia Plateau , and part of the Snake River Valley. As a component of the Interstate Highway System, I-84 is also designated as an important national highway under the National Highway System . It is officially named the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway and is mostly concurrent with US 30 , which also carries part of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 under Oregon's named route system . I-84

24393-400: The only people on American soil whose deaths were attributed to an enemy balloon bomb explosion during World War II . The bombing site is now located in the Mitchell Recreation Area . Industrial expansion began in earnest following the 1933–1937 construction of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. Hydroelectric power , food, and lumber provided by Oregon helped fuel the development of

24566-479: The raw sewage in the system flowed into the river instead of into the city's wastewater treatment plant. The Big Pipe project and related work reduces CSO volume on the lower river by about 94 percent. In June 2014, Dean Hall became the first person to swim the entire length of the Willamette River. He swam 184 miles (296 km) from Eugene to the river mouth in 25 days. In 2017, Human Access Project partnered with Portland Parks & Recreation to open

24739-410: The region after the law was passed were forced to leave, and those who did not comply were arrested and beaten. They received no less than twenty and no more than thirty-nine stripes across the back if they still did not leave. This process could be repeated every six months. Slavery played a major part in Oregon's history and even influenced its path to statehood. The territory's request for statehood

24912-519: The region west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. By the 1820s and 1830s, the Hudson's Bay Company dominated the Pacific Northwest from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver (built in 1825 by the district's chief factor, John McLoughlin , across the Columbia from present-day Portland ). In 1841, the expert trapper and entrepreneur Ewing Young died leaving considerable wealth and no apparent heir, and no system to probate his estate. A meeting followed Young's funeral, at which

25085-402: The river at the Morrison Bridge . The Willamette River basin was created primarily by plate tectonics and volcanism and was altered by erosion and sedimentation, including deposits from enormous glacial floods as recent as 13,000 years ago. The oldest rocks beneath the Willamette Valley are the Siletz River Volcanics . About 35 million years ago, these rocks were subducted by

25258-472: The river splits into two channels that flow around Sauvie Island . Used for navigation purposes, these channels are managed by the U.S. federal government . The main channel, which is the primary navigational conduit for Portland's harbor and riverside industrial areas, is 40 feet (12 m) deep and varies in width from 600 to 1,900 feet (180 to 580 m), although the river broadens to 2,000 feet (610 m) in some of its lower reaches. This channel enters

25431-447: The river's drainage basin was significantly modified by the Missoula Floods at the end of the most recent ice age . Humans began living in the watershed over 10,000 years ago. There were once many tribal villages along the lower river and in the area around its mouth on the Columbia. Indigenous peoples lived throughout the upper reaches of the basin as well. Rich with sediments deposited by flooding and fed by prolific rainfall on

25604-441: The river, and roads cross the main stem on approximately 30 different bridges. More than half a dozen bridges not open to motorized vehicles provide separate crossings for bicycles and pedestrians, mostly in the Eugene area, and several others are exclusively for rail traffic. There are also ferries that convey cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians across the river for a fare and provided river conditions permit. They are

25777-405: The river, at Harrisburg, Corvallis, Albany, Salem, and Portland. The average discharge at the lowermost gauge, near the Morrison Bridge in Portland, was 33,220 cubic feet per second (941 m /s) between 1972 and 2013. Located at river mile (RM) 12.8 or river kilometer (RK) 20.6, the gauge measures the flow from an area of 11,200 square miles (29,000 km ), roughly 97 percent of

25950-404: The sign. The T.H. Banfield Expressway, commonly known as the Banfield Freeway, is the portion of Interstate 84 between its western terminus at Interstate 5 and its intersection at Interstate 205 in Portland , Oregon , United States . The expressway, originally built as part of US 30, is named for Thomas H. "Harry" Banfield (1885–1950), a former Oregon State Highway commissioner . Prior to

26123-542: The south edge of Pendleton and intersects OR 11 , a connecting highway to Walla Walla, Washington , before being rejoined by US 30. The freeway travels southeast through a portion of the Umatilla Indian Reservation , passing the on-reservation resort casino , and begins its ascent into the Blue Mountains . The easternmost 168 miles (270 km) of I-84 includes several sharp curves and steep grades , along with winter weather that causes frequent closures and collisions. The westbound and eastbound lanes are split by

26296-443: The south, settled from this muddy water to form today's valley floor. The floods carried Montana icebergs well into the basin, where they melted and dropped glacial erratics onto the land surface. These rocks, composed of granite and other materials common to central Montana but not to the Willamette Valley, include more than 40 boulders, each at least 3 feet (0.9 m) in diameter. Before being partly chipped away and removed,

26469-432: The southeast corner of the Army depot near Hermiston in Umatilla County , I-84 intersects the southern terminus of I-82 , a freeway connecting northeastern Oregon to Washington's Tri-Cities , Yakima, and I-90 . The freeway goes on to intersect OR 27 south of Hermiston and US 395 near Stanfield , forming a concurrency with the latter. From Stanfield, I-84, US 30, and US 395 continue southeast along

26642-455: The southwest of the Willamette River led the Oregon state government to remove the natives by military force. They were first led off their traditional lands to the Willamette Valley, but soon were marched to the Coast Indian Reservation . In 1855, Joel Palmer , an Oregon legislator, negotiated a treaty with the Willamette Valley tribes, who, although unhappy with the treaty, ceded their lands to non-natives. The natives were then relocated by

26815-401: The state legislature, joining a similar designation in Idaho. In November 2016, ODOT activated a variable speed zone on a 30-mile (48 km) stretch of Interstate 84 between Baker City and Ladd Canyon. The new electronic signs collect data regarding temperature, skid resistance, and average motorist speed to determine the most effective speed limit for the area before presenting the limit on

26988-421: The state's name is uncertain. The earliest geographical designation "orejón" (meaning "big ear") comes from the Spanish historical chronicle Relación de la Alta y Baja California (1598), written by Rodrigo Montezuma of New Spain ; here it refers to the region of the Columbia River as it was encountered by the first Spanish scouts. The " j " in the Spanish phrase " El Orejón " was eventually corrupted into

27161-424: The swing span was removed in the 1950s. The Oregon City Bridge , built in 1922, replaced a suspension span constructed at the site in 1888. It carries Oregon Route 43 over the river at about RM 26 (RK 42) between Oregon City and West Linn . The Ross Island Bridge carries U.S. Route 26 ( Mount Hood Highway ) over the river at RM 14 (RK 23). It is one of 10 highway bridges crossing

27334-420: The terminus of the Banfield Freeway, officially the T.H. Banfield Expressway, which carries I-84 and US 30 through eastern Portland along a railroad grade. The freeway travels northeast through Sullivan's Gulch , passing under the twin overpasses of Oregon Route 99E (OR 99E), which also carries the Portland Streetcar 's Loop lines that serve the Eastside district of the city. At an interchange near

27507-527: The two major highways that follow the river for its entire length. Communities along the main stem include Springfield and Eugene in Lane County ; Harrisburg in Linn County ; Corvallis in Benton County ; Albany in Linn and Benton counties; Independence in Polk County ; Salem in Marion County ; Newberg in Yamhill County ; Oregon City , West Linn , Milwaukie , and Lake Oswego in Clackamas County ; and Portland in Multnomah and Washington counties. Significant tributaries from source to mouth include

27680-451: The vicinity of the Willamette on a section referred to as French Prairie . By 1841, members of the United States Exploring Expedition came through the Siskiyou Trail. They noted extensive salmon fishing by natives at Willamette Falls, much like that at Celilo Falls on the Columbia River. In the middle part of the 19th century the Willamette Valley's fertile soils, pleasant climate, and abundant water attracted thousands of settlers from

27853-413: The water stored in the reservoirs is used for irrigation . Cougar Dam on the South Fork McKenzie River and Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River are the two tallest dams in the Willamette River basin. Detroit Dam is 463 feet (141 m) high and stores 455,000 acre-feet (561,000,000 m ) of water. Lookout Point Dam on the Middle Fork Willamette River , forming Lookout Point Lake , has

28026-428: The watershed. In 1987, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior designated 713 acres (289 ha) of the watershed in Benton County as a National Natural Landmark . This area is the Willamette Floodplain , the largest remaining unplowed native grassland in the North Pacific geologic province, which encompasses most of the Pacific Northwest coast. For at least 10,000 years, a variety of indigenous peoples populated

28199-441: The west side of the Hood River , just north of the city's historic train depot on the Mount Hood Railroad , where excursion trains depart for Parkdale near Mount Hood . Across the river, I-84 is rejoined by US 30 and intersects OR 35 , part of the Mount Hood Scenic Byway , at the south end of the Hood River Bridge . The toll bridge crosses the Columbia River and connects Hood River to White Salmon, Washington and has

28372-441: The western side of the Cascades, the Willamette Valley is one of the most fertile agricultural regions in North America, and it was thus the destination of many 19th-century pioneers traveling west along the Oregon Trail . The river was an important transportation route in the 19th century, although Willamette Falls , just upstream from Portland, was a major barrier to boat traffic. In the 21st century, major highways follow

28545-439: The winter of 1818-19, Thomas McKay led a hunting brigade farther south towards the sources of the Willamette River and reached the upper Umpqua River . More violent skirmishes were fought. Most brigade members returned to Fort George (formerly called Fort Astoria ). Louis LaBonté, Joseph Gervais , Étienne Lucier , Louis Kanota, and Louis Pichette (dit DuPré) remained in the Willamette Valley as free trappers. Meanwhile, in 1821

28718-444: Was applied to the River of the West based on Native American tales of powerful Chinook winds on the lower Columbia River, or perhaps from first-hand French experience with the Chinook winds of the Great Plains . At the time, the River of the West was thought to rise in western Minnesota and flow west through the Great Plains. Another suggestion comes from Joaquin Miller , who wrote in Sunset magazine in 1904: The name, Oregon,

28891-406: Was changed to Interstate 84 to eliminate confusion with the western section of the non-suffixed I-80 , which split from I-80N in Salt Lake City and continued west to San Francisco . The changing of signs in Oregon cost $ 140,000 and was funded by the federal government, which approved the change in 1979. The entire highway was dedicated as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway in September 2014 by

29064-410: Was delayed several times, as members of Congress argued among themselves whether the territory should be admitted as a "free" or "slave" state. Eventually politicians from the South agreed to allow Oregon to enter as a "free" state, in exchange for opening slavery to the Southwestern U.S. Oregon was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1859, though no one in Oregon knew it until March 15. Founded as

29237-402: Was established across the Willamette from Oregon City. After Portland was incorporated in 1851, quickly growing into Oregon's largest city, Oregon City gradually lost its importance as the economic and political center of the Willamette Valley. Beginning in the 1850s, steamboats began to ply the Willamette, despite the fact that they could not pass Willamette Falls. As a result, navigation on

29410-407: Was established in 1957 and originally carried the designation of Interstate 80N ( I-80N ) until 1980, when this was changed to I-84 to prevent confusion with the southerly I-80 . The earliest sections of the freeway incorporated the existing Banfield Freeway between Portland and Troutdale , opened in 1955, and upgraded other parts of US 30 to Interstate standards . New roads were built through

29583-413: Was later cancelled in 1974. A pair of time-limited high-occupancy vehicle lanes were installed in December 1975 at an approximate cost of $ 500,000. They were available for buses and passenger vehicles with three or more occupants. The westbound lane was 1.7 miles (2.7 km) long and open 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.; the eastbound lane was 3.3 miles (5.3 km) and open from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. In 1977,

29756-438: Was the first acting public government of the Oregon Country before annexation by the government of the United States. It was succeeded by a Second Executive Committee, made up of Peter G. Stewart , Osborne Russell , and William J. Bailey , and this committee was itself succeeded by George Abernethy , who was the first and only Governor of Oregon under the provisional government. Also in 1841, Sir George Simpson , governor of

29929-410: Was used to reach farther south. This trail, over 600 miles (970 km) long, stretched from the mouth of the Willamette River near present-day Portland south through the Willamette Valley, crossing the Siskiyou Mountains , and south through the Sacramento Valley to San Francisco . In 1812, William Henry and Alfred Seton paddled up from Fort Astoria (PFC) on the Columbia River into the mouth of

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