85-503: La Serena ( Spanish pronunciation: [la seˈɾena] ) is a city and commune in northern Chile , capital of the Coquimbo Region . Founded in 1544, it is the country's second oldest city after the national capital, Santiago . As of 2012, it had a communal population of roughly 200,000, and was one of the fastest-growing areas of Chile. The city is an important tourist destination for Chileans and Argentines, especially during
170-486: 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
255-565: 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
340-772: A coastal zone, the minimums and maximums are moderated by the maritime influence and the temperature of the cold Humboldt Current . Winter (specifically from May to August) is the rainy season, with a total rainfall of approximately 100 mm (3.94 in) annually in a normal year, notable exceptions being the year 1997 which experienced a total rainfall in the city near 200 mm (7.87 in), 1880 with 366 millimetres (14.41 in) and 1888 when as much as 417 millimetres (16.42 in) fell including 239 millimetres (9.41 in) in August. The driest year has been 1979 with only 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in), whilst recent years, as in central Chile and Zona Sur , have tended to be drier than
425-510: 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
510-609: 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
595-568: 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,
680-437: A surface area of 1,892.8 km (731 sq mi). The city is located on ocean terraces , which are clearly noticeable from the coastal area, through downtown to the eastern sector Vicuña way. The rest of the urban area is based on several small hills, valleys and plains. The city is commonly divided into various sectors. In the north is the airline sector, subdivided into two sub-sectors called High and Low Company. Nearby
765-400: A total area of 1,892 square kilometres (731 sq mi). A few of the major city sectors are: El Centro ("downtown"), Peñuelas (actually a suburb between La Serena and Coquimbo ), San Joaquín (neighborhood on a hill overlooking the ocean), La Florida, Las Compañías ("the companies"), Cerro Grande ("big hill"), La Antena and the new El Milagro ("the miracle") development. The commune spans
850-560: A wide variety of schools, lyceums and universities, concentrating great part of the academical offer in the region. Among primary and secondary education, La Serena hosts public, subsidized (owned by the State, managed by privates), and privates schools (La Serena currently holds the entirety of private schools within the Greater La Serena area). Among the universities present in La Serena are
935-537: 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
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#17328520821441020-703: Is San Pedro Creek. To the south are the areas of La Pampa, San Joaquin and the El Milagro. To the east are the sectors of La Antena, Juan XXIII, La Florida, Colina El Pino and the University District. Finally, to the west is the area of Avenida del Mar. Areas surrounding the city are mainly areas for growing vegetables, and there are a large number of plantations for the cultivation of chirimoyas , avocados and oranges, in addition to where vegetation has an average with some areas found mainly eucalyptus forests. These areas are normally conducive to wildfires sparked during
1105-492: Is an organ donated by the philanthropist Juana Ross de Edwards. The belfry dates back from the 20th century. The town has retained its historic architecture and this, along with a selection of beaches (known as Avenida del Mar , "Sea Avenue"), has caused the city to become a significant tourist destination, attracting many foreigners (most of them Argentines from San Juan and Mendoza provinces) during January, and later Santiago residents fleeing February heat. The beaches of
1190-514: Is based on a June 2005 report by the INE based on the 2002 census which registered 239 cities across the country. This list includes conurbations , "absorptions" and cities with over 100,000 inhabitants, according to the 2017 census. Oregon Oregon ( / ˈ ɒr ɪ ɡ ən , - ɡ ɒ n / ORR -ih-ghən , -gon ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of
1275-531: 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
1360-456: 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
1445-803: Is now Oregon's Pacific coast in the early to mid-16th century. As early as 1564, 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
1530-466: 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
1615-706: 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
1700-439: Is one of the famous and works awesome with swells. The best Enduro mountainbike spot is Cerro Grande just behind La Serena with several trails only for advanced to expert riders. La Serena relies on diverse means of transport to connect downtown with peripheral neighborhoods and Coquimbo , such as collective taxis , taxis and tour buses. In the past the city was the principal railway center for passenger transport to travel to
1785-477: 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
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#17328520821441870-454: 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
1955-519: 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
2040-484: 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
2125-600: 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
2210-593: 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
2295-544: 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
2380-585: The Avenida Del Mar are some of the most crowded in La Serena, which run from the El Faro Monumental in the south to Peñuelas's beach in neighboring Coquimbo, an extension of 6 km (4 mi). However, the beaches of La Serena have very rough water and are not suitable for swimming. In comparison, beaches in Coquimbo, such as The Horseshoe, have very calm waters and clean sands. The twelve beaches along
2465-610: The Avenida del Mar are El Faro, Los Fuertes, Mansa, Blanca, La Barca, Cuatro Esquinas, La Marina, El Pescador, El Corsario, Hipocampo, Las Gaviotas, and Canto del Agua. All of them except the beacon are suitable for the swimming and aquatic and nautical sports. In recent years the La Serena Song Festival (created in 2004) has been gaining national importance, due to the high quality of the invited artists. A new international airport has also been improved. Real estate development along
2550-748: 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 ,
2635-632: 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 :
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2720-887: 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
2805-659: The La Florida Airport to an area near Tongoy, Coquimbo, due to population growth close to the current airport with all the danger that this implies. The city has a football team called Club Deportes La Serena that plays in the second tier of the Chilean league of football. Their home games are played at the La Portada stadium, which has seating for approximately 18,000 spectators. Their biggest rivals are near-neighbors Coquimbo Unido . They are nicknamed "Los Papayeros", because of
2890-581: 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
2975-729: 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
3060-532: The Plan Serena , a project in which the city was renewed with investments and urban redevelopment that would imprint a single seal on the country. It began to take hold in the role of services, to rescue and to develop its own architectural style known as Colonial Revival . The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of La Serena . The cathedral, built from the same stone and clade, dates from
3145-503: The Plaza de Armas stands today. A few years later, on 4 May 1552, King Carlos I of Spain by royal decree gave it the title of city. One of the reasons to establish La Serena was to control Mapuche groups that had begun to migrate north following the Spanish founding of Santiago in 1541. Indeed, northern Mapuche groups appear to have responded to the Spanish conquest by abandoning their best agricultural lands and moving to remote parts away from
3230-702: The University of La Serena , traditional university with its headquarters and four other campuses in the city; other institutions include the Universidad Central ( Central University ), Universidad Santo Tomás ( Saint Thomas University ), Universidad Tecnológica de Chile – INACAP ( Technological University of Chile ), and Universidad del Mar La Serena holds offices for the European Southern Observatory organisation (operator of La Silla Observatory ), AURA, Inc. (operator of Cerro Tololo , located in
3315-813: The Valle de Elqui , about 85 km east of La Serena, and Gemini observatories), and for the Carnegie Institution for Science (operator of Las Campanas Observatory ). It will also be the home of the base facility of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory . La Serena is twinned with: List of cities in Chile This is a list of cities in Chile . A city is defined by Chile 's National Statistics Institute (INE) as an "urban entity" with more than 5,000 inhabitants. This list
3400-432: 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
3485-514: 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
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3570-407: The 1992 and 2002 censuses, making it one of the fastest-growing regions of the country. Had that growth continued, INE estimated the population would increase to 205,120 by 2008 and 244,070 by 2012, so the growth rate has dropped since then. In 2002 155,815 persons lived in the city proper, and La Serena was part of the country's fourth largest conurbation (pop. 300,000) with nearby Coquimbo , with
3655-411: The 19th century. It must be said that although it lacks the same historical value as the older churches, this is a stone building in a country prone to seismic activity, and has survived various earthquakes. Indeed, during centuries of existence, there is almost no visible damage. All of these churches, along with others of minor importance, provide a unique urban landscape, an image for the city, giving it
3740-462: The 7th electoral district, (together with La Higuera , Vicuña , Paihuano and Andacollo ). The commune is represented in the Senate by Sergio Gahona Salazar (UDI), Daniel Núñez Arancibia (PC) and Matías Walker Prieto (PDC) as part of the fourth senatorial constituency (Coquimbo Region). In the last decades, tourism has turned into one of the most important economic activities. The population doubles in
3825-536: 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
3910-580: 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
3995-540: 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
4080-716: 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
4165-760: 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
4250-518: 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 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
4335-407: 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,
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#17328520821444420-448: 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
4505-407: The beach has created a tourist residential development along the Elqui River . The most famous beach near La Serena is "Morrillos" with 25 km (16 mi ) of sand and dunes. In the southern part of Morrillos is Guanaqueros, a beautiful spot with calm waters. Water temperatures can reach 25 °C (77 °F) in summer. The best surf spot is Totoralillo beach with good waves. "El Cacho" wave
4590-408: The city being nicknamed "the city of the belfries". The Church Cathedral of La Serena was designated a Historical Monument in 1981. Construction was initiated by the French architect Jean Herbage in 1844, and dedicated in 1856. It is the largest temple in the city, constructed in Neoclassic style , measuring 60 metres (200 feet) long by 20 metres (66 feet) wide, with three central bodies. Inside there
4675-407: The city was almost totally destroyed by the earthquake of 8 July 1730 . During the Revolution of 1859 , a rebellion against the conservative government, the city was taken by forces led by Pedro Leon Gallo . Gallo's forces were defeated at the Battle of Cerro Grande [es] by an army from Santiago, which then occupied the city. Between 1948 and 1952, president Gabriel González Videla prepared
4760-446: The coast to the neighboring city of Coquimbo. As of the 2012 census, La Serena had a communal population of 198,164, and the Greater La Serena area had a population of around 400,000. As of the 2002 census (of the National Statistics Institute ) it had 160,148 inhabitants (77,385 men and 82,763 women). Of these, 147,815 (92.3%) lived in urban areas and 12,333 (7.7%) in rural areas. The population grew by 32.6% (39,332 persons) between
4845-465: 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 ,
4930-415: 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
5015-439: 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
5100-454: The genuine image of the city. There is also a number of remarkable and valuable small churches built of sedimentary stone quarried 5 km (3 mi) to the north of the Elqui River , having a characteristic color and texture formed by myriad small shells. These churches are all roughly 350 years old and have undergone restoration to varying degrees, bringing them back to their original form. San Francisco , San Agustín , Santo Domingo are
5185-420: 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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#17328520821445270-416: The interior zone of Vicuña and Ovalle . Today, the only railroad that passes through parts of the city carries iron ore from El Romeral mine to Guayacán's port in Coquimbo. The city relies on a bus station to provide transport from La Serena to most of the country, as well as an airport with daily flights to Santiago, Antofagasta, Arica, Copiapó and other destinations. Today there is a project to move
5355-417: The invaders. During the 17th century, the city suffered repeated attacks from privateers , including Francis Drake who opened the Pacific route to the English in 1578. Bartholomew Sharp , who partly burned and looted in 1680, and Edward Davis , who set fire to the convent of Santo Domingo in 1686, caused great fear among the population, forcing the defence of the city in 1700. In addition to these attacks,
5440-418: The long-term mean. As a commune, La Serena is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council , headed by a mayor who is directly elected every four years. Since October 2024, the city's interim mayor is Luis Henríquez. Within the electoral divisions of Chile , La Serena is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Mario Bertolino (RN) and Marcelo Díaz (PS) as part of
5525-433: 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
5610-429: 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
5695-415: 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
5780-466: 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
5865-465: The names of a few of them. In 1920, he began to take shape a new economic boom in the mining of iron, attracting capital and human contingent, resulting in a further change in the urban structure. Currently, the city has its own architectural style (known as "neocolonial"), which is differentiated from other cities, preserving old buildings in colonial style, with many important National Monuments, mixing it with modern buildings but each one in turn follows
5950-471: The national shops Falabella and París. Also Mall Puerta Del Mar, contains two supermarkets, and regional multistores, such as La Elegante, and shops for home and construction. The downtown is one of the places with major economic and financial institutions of the Coquimbo Region . The old part of the city is the largest and most important urban "traditional area" ( zona típica ) in Chile. The churches are distinguished by many styles of belfries , which led to
6035-402: The nickname " The City of Churches ." Its traditional architecture consists of a series of housing and public buildings, of late 19th-century vintage style, built with wood from the US state of Oregon brought to Chile as counterweight in vessels sailing to the nearby port of Coquimbo to load copper and other minerals for transport back to the US. This Oregon pine and the use of adobe create
6120-522: 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
6205-703: The papayas that are grown near La Serena in the Elqui Valley . Since 2007, there has been a professional tennis tournament, the Challenger de La Serena , on the courts of the Estadio Universidad del Mar , in which the first champion was the Argentine Mariano Zabaleta . The courts also hosted the Davis Cup series between Chile and Russia at the beginning of February 2007. The city of La Serena holds
6290-410: 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
6375-577: 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
6460-516: The regulatory framework in the construction of these structures which should each have features to maintain the colonial style of the city. In the center of the city until 2008, it is still not possible to identify buildings over eight stories high for a municipal status, however towards the coastal area of the Avenida del Mar, one begins to see a great real estate boom that is distinguished by high-rise buildings, ranging from La Serena running south and along
6545-477: 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
6630-442: The summer months, principally for the beaches, recreational activities, musical festivals, concerts, and Fashion Week . In addition, the city is an obligatory stop for hundreds of pilgrims that arrive to the city of Coquimbo, where during The Serenade they find lodging for visiting the zone and Valle de Elqui . In this city there are located branches of the more important chain stores of the country, Mall Plaza La Serena, which has
6715-428: The summer season (January–February). La Serena has a cool desert climate , similar to nearby places in that it is clearly seasonal – in summer there is an absence of precipitation, but with abundant morning cloudiness and drizzle. which dissipates around noon, giving way to clear skies and 22 °C (72 °F) days. In winter, the temperatures descend to between 7 and 16 °C (45 and 61 °F). Being located in
6800-464: The summer, where people go to visit the beaches. It is the headquarters of the University of La Serena and also is home to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of La Serena , one of five Catholic Archdioceses of the Catholic Church in Chile. The sector is currently located where the city was inhabited by the pre-Hispanic village called Viluma or Vilumanque ( Mapudungún Snakes and condors). La Serena
6885-699: 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,
6970-560: 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
7055-461: Was founded in 1544. Five years later, from the night of 11 January 1549 until the following day, a native uprising totally destroyed and burned the village, killing nearly every Spaniard. Pedro de Valdivia ordered Captain Francisco de Aguirre to re-establish the city later the same year on 26 August under the name of San Bartolomé de La Serena (now patron saint of the city), in the same place where
7140-645: Was founded on the orders of the Spaniard Pedro de Valdivia in order to provide a sea link to maintain permanent contact between Santiago and Lima in the Viceroyalty of Peru . For this he would need a place for his troops to rest and eat. The village was founded by captain Juan Bohón with the name " Villanueva de La Serena ". Although the exact date is disputed, probable dates include 15 November or 30 December 1543 and 4 September 1544. Many historians simply say that it
7225-494: 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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