The Strait of Juan de Fuca (officially named Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada) is a body of water about 96 miles (83 nmi; 154 km) long that is the Salish Sea 's main outlet to the Pacific Ocean . The international boundary between Canada and the United States runs down the centre of the Strait.
71-677: Chanticleer Point is a geographical landmark on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge . It is the first notable overlook encountered traveling east on the Historic Columbia River Highway . It is a typical location from which to take photos of the gorge featuring Crown Point and the Vista House prominently. It overlooks Rooster Rock State Park . The overlook is part of the Oregon state park system and its official name
142-486: 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
213-565: 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
284-588: A formal application to the Geographical Names Board of Canada . A parallel American movement promoting the name had a different definition, combining of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound as well as the Strait of Georgia and related waters under the more general name Salish Sea . This latter definition was made official in 2009 by geographic boards of Canada and the United States. In October 2009,
355-620: A lit cigarette in the restroom garbage can due to being upset at the lack of alcohol. In 1946, the Portland Women's Forum was founded with the purpose of preserving and beautifying the Columbia River Gorge. In 1956, they purchased the site of the former inn from Julius L. Meyer Jr. (son of former Oregon Governor Julius Meier ) using money raised from various teas, fashion shows, doll shows, and other various fundraisers. Life memberships were also sold, and life members name's were placed on
426-451: A plaque at the park. In October 1962, the site was donated to the State of Oregon under the condition that the park be named after the Portland Women's Forum. In 1963, the newly built Interstate 84 caused most through traffic to bypass the park. Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint has multiple memorials and monuments as well as a few viewpoint areas. A short hiking trail, remnants of
497-510: 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
568-609: 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
639-568: 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,
710-537: 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
781-531: 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
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#1732858636679852-456: 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
923-515: 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
994-706: 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
1065-477: 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
1136-454: 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
1207-659: Is the Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint . A plaque placed at the site describes the Forum's support of this landmark. In 1912, Meier & Frank waitress M.E. Margaret Henderson partnered with A.R. Morgan and his wife to open Chanticleer Inn , a restaurant, on the site that now belongs to the park. The inn was known for its chicken and salmon dinners, cooked mostly by Henderson, and notably did not serve or allow alcohol. The inn hosted multiple Presidents , foreign dignitaries, and military officials. Henderson sold her share of
1278-519: 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
1349-484: 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
1420-600: 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
1491-593: 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
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#17328586366791562-544: 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
1633-599: The Gulf of Maine boundary dispute . In this Atlantic Ocean context, Canada favours an outcome based on the principle of equidistance. In March 2008, the Chemainus First Nation proposed renaming the strait the " Salish Sea ", an idea that reportedly met with approval by British Columbia's Aboriginal Relations Minister Mike de Jong , who pledged to put it before the BC cabinet for discussion. Making Salish Sea official required
1704-753: The Coho carried 475,000 passengers and 130,000 vehicles in 2018. A passenger-only ferry on the same route, named the Victoria Express , operated from 1990 to 2011. Victoria is also the terminus of the Victoria Clipper , a passenger-only ferry from Seattle . Sidney, located northeast of Victoria, is served by a seasonal extension the Washington State Ferries system's route serving the San Juan Islands and Anacortes, Washington . This strait remains
1775-748: 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 ,
1846-632: 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 :
1917-887: 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
1988-581: 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
2059-729: 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
2130-555: 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,
2201-672: 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
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2272-432: 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
2343-427: The gray whale , another cetacean with both residential and nomadic groups in the Strait. As migratory gray whales swim between Baja California and Alaska each year, they will often be seen in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, feeding on small marine creatures on the seafloor, and using the Strait as a sort of "rest stop" on their long journeys. They also socialize with and encounter the local, non-migratory gray whales in
2414-514: 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
2485-462: 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. Strait of Juan de Fuca It was named in 1787 by the maritime fur trader Charles William Barkley , captain of Imperial Eagle , for Juan de Fuca ,
2556-536: 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
2627-460: The Greek navigator who sailed in a Spanish expedition in 1592 to seek the fabled Strait of Anián . Barkley was the first recorded person to find the strait, unless Juan de Fuca's story was true. The strait was explored in detail between 1789 and 1791 by Manuel Quimper , José María Narváez , Juan Carrasco , Gonzalo López de Haro , and Francisco de Eliza . The United States Geological Survey defines
2698-580: 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
2769-540: 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
2840-660: 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
2911-760: 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
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2982-492: The Strait of Juan de Fuca as a channel . It extends east from the Pacific Ocean between Vancouver Island , British Columbia, and the Olympic Peninsula , Washington, to Haro Strait , San Juan Channel, Rosario Strait , and Puget Sound . The Pacific Ocean boundary is formed by a line between Cape Flattery and Tatoosh Island , Washington, and Carmanah Point (Vancouver Island), British Columbia. Its northern boundary follows
3053-529: The Washington State Board of Geographic Names approved the Salish Sea toponym , not to replace the names of the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and Strait of Juan de Fuca, but instead as a collective term for all three. The British Columbia Geographical Names Office passed a resolution only recommending that the name be adopted by the Geographical Names Board of Canada , should its US counterpart approve
3124-407: 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,
3195-542: 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
3266-427: The climate of the Strait is disputed, with the Köppen system classifying it as Mediterranean , but most regional climatologists preferring oceanic . While the climate is mostly oceanic in nature, the dry summers result in the Mediterranean classification in the Köppen system. Rainfall ranges from over 100 inches (250 cm) ( temperate rainforest ) conditions at the west end to as little as 16 inches (410 mm) at
3337-465: 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 ,
3408-566: The east end, near Sequim . Because it is exposed to the generally westerly winds and waves of the Pacific, seas and weather in Juan de Fuca Strait are, on average, rougher than in the more protected waters inland, thereby resulting in a number of small-craft advisories , gale warnings , and storm warnings . An international vehicle ferry, the MV Coho , crosses the Strait from Port Angeles, Washington , to Victoria, British Columbia , several times each day. It began operating in 1959, replacing an earlier ferry, and remains privately owned;
3479-415: 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
3550-439: 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
3621-420: 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
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#17328586366793692-443: The line. Resolution of the issue should be simple, but has been hindered because it might influence other unresolved maritime boundary issues between Canada and the United States. In addition, the government of British Columbia has rejected both equidistant proposals, instead arguing that the Juan de Fuca submarine canyon is the appropriate "geomorphic and physiogeographic boundary". The proposed equidistant boundary currently marks
3763-433: 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
3834-429: 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
3905-415: 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
3976-466: 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
4047-457: The name-change. The United States Board on Geographic Names approved the name on November 12, 2009. Counties along the Strait of Juan de Fuca: Regional districts along the Strait of Juan de Fuca: Certain groups of seabirds called common murre migrate north by swimming. Some Pacific Coast murres paddle north to the sheltered bays of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to feed on herring and other small fish. Humpback whales can be observed near
4118-423: The northern boundary of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary . British Columbia's position is based on the principle of natural prolongation which developed in international law . It poses a dilemma for the federal government of Canada. If Canada holds that the principle of natural prolongation applies to the Juan de Fuca Canyon on its Pacific Ocean coast, the assertion could undermine Canada's argument in
4189-400: 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
4260-400: The original road to the point, is accessible from the parking lot as well. 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
4331-410: 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
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#17328586366794402-519: 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
4473-407: The restaurant in 1914 and opened the Latourell Falls Chalet, a similar establishment, further upriver. Before 1915, when the Columbia River Highway was built, the only way to the inn was by taking a boat or train to Rooster Rock , and walking or riding up a steep, unpaved road. On October 8, 1930, the Chanticleer Inn burnt down. While the exact reason is unknown, it is said that a drunk patron left
4544-427: The shoreline of Vancouver Island from Carmanah Point to Gonzales Point, then follows a continuous line east to Seabird Point ( Discovery Island ), British Columbia, Cattle Point ( San Juan Island ), Washington, Iceberg Point ( Lopez Island ), Point Colville (Lopez Island), and then to Rosario Head ( Fidalgo Island ). The eastern boundary runs south from Rosario Head across Deception Pass to Whidbey Island , then along
4615-421: 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
4686-422: The subject of a maritime boundary dispute between Canada and the United States. The dispute is only over the seaward boundary extending 200 nautical miles (370 km) west from the mouth of the strait. The maritime boundary within the strait is not in dispute. Both governments have proposed a boundary based on the principle of equidistance , but with different basepoint selections, resulting in small differences in
4757-431: The western coast of Whidbey Island to Point Partridge , then across Admiralty Inlet to Point Wilson ( Quimper Peninsula ). The northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula forms the southern boundary of the strait. In the eastern entrance to the Strait, the Race Rocks Archipelago is in the high current zone halfway between Port Angeles, Washington, and Victoria, BC. Like the rest of the Salish Sea and surrounding regions,
4828-420: The western end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, mostly from June to November, especially in areas near Neah Bay and La Push . There is a resident (non-nomadic) population of killer whale in the Strait and surrounding waters, where they feed on spawning Chinook salmon . The migrating, so-called "transient" populations of killer whale often prey on the California sea lion and Steller's sea lion , in addition to
4899-444: 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,
4970-410: 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
5041-438: 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
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