Oregon,
One of the
Pacific coast States of the American Union, has a coast-line of 300 miles, extending from lat. 42° N., which marks the boundary between the
State and
California and
Nevada, to the
Columbia River, which separates the
State from
Washington on the north in lat. 46° 15′
N. Idaho lies to the east, the
Snake River forming about half of the eastern boundary.
It is limited in longitude between 116° 45′ to 124° 30′
W. Area, 96,030 square miles, in thirty-one counties.
Population, 1890, 313,767; 1900, 413,536.
Capital,
Salem.
A
Spanish expedition, sent out under Bruno Heceta in the
Santiago, discovers the mouth of the
Columbia River......1775
Captain Robert Gray enters the
Columbia River in the American ship
Columbia from
Boston......May 7, 1792
Lieutenant Broughton, of the
British navy, ascends the
Columbia River about 100 miles to the region of the cascades......October–November, 1792
By purchase, the
United States acquires the claims of
France to
Oregon......April 30, 1803
Lewis and
Clarke United States government expedition descends the
Columbia to its mouth, where it arrives......Nov. 5, 1805
Captain Nathaniel Winship, a New-Englander, builds the first house in
Oregon, at
Oak Point, on the
Columbia......June 4, 1810
Pacific Fur Company, of which
John Jacob Astor was a leading member, establishes a trading-post at the mouth of the
Columbia River, which it calls
Astoria......1811
D. McKenzie explores the
Willamette River......1812
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Convention between the
United States and
Great Britain for joint occupation of
Oregon concluded in
London, Oct. 20, 1818, ratified......Jan. 19, 1819
Convention between the
United States and
Russia regulating fishery and trading on the
Pacific coast, and fixing 54° 40′ as the northern boundary claimed by the
United States, concluded at
St. Petersburg, April 5-7, 1824, and ratified......Jan. 12, 1825
Convention between the
United States and
Great Britain; the articles of 1819 are indefinitely extended, with proviso that either party might annul the agreement on twelve months notice......Aug. 6, 1827
Capt. Nathaniel J. Wyeth, of
Wenham, Mass., establishes a fishery on
Sauvies Island, at the mouth of the
Willamette......1832
John McLeod and
Michael la Framboise erect Fort Umpqua, a post for the Hudson Bay Company, on the
Umpqua River......1832
Jason and
Daniel Lee, Methodist missionaries, reach
Oregon in
Captain Wyeth's second overland expedition, which left Independence, April 28, 1834, and establish a mission on the banks of the
Willamette, 60 miles from its mouth......Oct. 6, 1834
Methodist mission station established on Clatsop Plains, near
Young Bay......Feb. 10, 1841
First meeting of settlers at the
Methodist mission to make a code of laws for the settlements south of the
Columbia River......Feb. 17-18, 1841
Star of Oregon, the first American vessel constructed of
Oregon timber, is launched from
Oak Island in the
Willamette, and sails for
San Francisco......1841
A provisional government and organic laws for
Oregon are adopted by the people met at
Champoeg, and
Oregon City fixed as the seat of government......July 5, 1843
First house in
Portland erected by A
L. Lovejoy and
F. W. Pettygrove......1845
Publication of the
Oregon Spectator begun at
Oregon City......1846
Resolutions pass the House of Representatives giving notice to
Great Britain that the convention of 1818 and 1827 for joint occupation of
Oregon should be terminated at the expiration of twelve months from the notice......Feb. 9, 1846
Articles of the
Oregon convention between
United States and
Great Britain held June 15, 1846, are ratified in
London, July 17, and proclaimed......Aug. 5, 1846
First sale of town lots for
Salem......Sept. 10, 1846
First mail contract in
Oregon let to
Hugh Burns in the spring of 1846, and first regular mail service in the
Territory is established by the United States government......1847
Congress enacts a territorial government for
Oregon......Aug. 14, 1848
Gen. Joseph Lane, first territorial governor, arrives, and proclaims the territorial government......March 3, 1849
About $50,000, in five and ten dollar
gold pieces, coined and put into circulation by the Oregon Exchange Company.
This is known as “beaver money” ......1849
First territorial legislature meets at
Oregon City......July 16, 1849
Gens. Smith and
Vinton arrive in
Oregon to examine the country with reference to the location of military posts......Sept. 28, 1849
Hudson Bay Company conveys to
United States the rights of the company under its charter and the treaty with
Great Britain......1849
Seat of government located at
Salem by legislature, the penitentiary at
Portland, and the university at
Corvallis......1850
Five of the
Cayuse Indians, principals in the massacre of
Dr. M. Whitman and other missionaries at Waulatpu, Nov. 29, 1847, are delivered to the
Oregon authorities, tried at
Oregon City, condemned, and executed......June 18, 1850
Schooner
Samuel Roberts, with an exploring party formed in
San Francisco to discover the mouth of the
Klamath River, enters the
Umpqua River......Aug. 6, 1850
Oregon donation act; Congress grants each missionary station then occupied 640 acres of land, with the improvements.
To each white settler, 640 acres. To each emigrant settling in
Oregon between Dec. 1, 1850, and Dec. 1, 1853, 160 acres......Sept. 27, 1850
Maj. Philip Kearny fights the Indians at
Rogue River......June 23, 1851
A party of twenty-three, under T'Vault, set out to explore the interior, Aug. 24, 1851. Sept. 1 all but nine turn back, at the
Rogue River, about 50 miles from the
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ocean.
These reach the headquarters of the Coquille, Sept. 9; descend it, are attacked, and five of the nine killed by
Indians......Sept. 14, 1851
Yam Hill River bridge, the first in the country, constructed at
Lafayette......1851
Gold discovered by some half-breeds in the sand of the old sea-beach at the mouth of a creek near the Coquille......1852
Willamette University at
Salem opened 1844; chartered......1853
War with the Indians of
Rogue River, begun in June, ended by a treaty signed by
Joel Palmer and
Samuel H. Culver.
By this treaty the Indians sell their lands, comprising the whole Rogue River Valley, to the
United States for $60,000......Sept. 8, 1853
Pacific University and Tualatin Academy, at
Forest Grove, opened in 1848, is chartered......1854
T. J. Dryer and party ascend
Mount Hood, and ascertain that it is an expiring volcano still emitting smoke and ashes......August, 1854
Governor Davis resigns, August, 1854; George Law
Curry appointed......November, 1854
Volunteer company under
J. A. Lupton attack an Indian camp at the mouth of
Butte Creek, killing twenty-three and wounding many, early in the morning.
Daylight showed that the dead were mostly old men, women, and children......Oct. 8, 1855
In retaliation, the Indians plunder and massacre settlers in the upper Rogue River Valley......Oct. 9, 1855
Astoria chartered......1855
Governor Curry issues a proclamation calling for five companies of volunteers, Oct. 15, and orders all companies not duly enrolled by virtue of said proclamation to disband......Oct. 20, 1855
Convention of Free-Soilers meets at
Albany, June 27, and drafts a platform for the anti-slavery party, to be reported at an adjourned meeting appointed at
Corvallis for......Oct. 30, 1855
Volunteer force organized, Oct. 12, by
Col. J. E. Ross, engages the Indians at
Rogue River, near
Galice Creek, Oct. 17, and at
Bloody Springs or Grave Creek Hills......Oct. 30, 1855
New State-house at
Salem burned, with the library and furniture; the work of an incendiary......Dec. 30, 1855
Indians murder thirteen out of fifteen of the garrison at Whaleshead, on
Rogue River, during the absence of the rest (Feb. 22) at a dancing-party; murder many farmers near the fort, and burn their houses and barns; 130, who escaped the massacre and fled to the fort, are besieged thirty-one days, until relieved by two companies under
Colonel Buchanan......March, 1856
Troops under
Capt. A. J. Smith attacked at the Meadows, on the
Rogue River, where the Indians had agreed to meet and give up their arms, by Indians under
Chief John, May 27; they are rescued by
Captain Augur......May 28, 1856
Chief John surrenders......June 29, 1856
Convention assembles at
Albany, and organizes the
Free-State Republican party of
Oregon......Feb. 11, 1857
Oregon constitutional convention assembles at
Salem, Aug. 17; completes its labors, Sept. 18; constitution ratified by the people; majority in favor of adoption, 3,980; against slavery, 5,082; against free negroes, 7,559......Nov. 9, 1857
Coal discovered at
Coos Bay, near
Empire City, 1853, and mines discovered by
James Aiken at
Newport and
Eastport, opened......1858
State legislature meets, July 5, and
Governor Whiteaker is inaugurated......July 8, 1858
Act admitting
Oregon signed by the
President......Feb. 14, 1859
Governor Whiteaker convenes the legislature, and completes the organization of the
State government......May 16, 1859
Joseph Lane,
ex-governor of
Oregon, nominated for
Vice-President of the
United States on the Breckinridge ticket......June 23, 1860
Fort Stevens, at the mouth of the
Columbia, completed......1864
First National Bank of
Portland, the oldest west of the
Rocky Mountains, is established......July, 1865
Mount Hood, not previously in eruption since the settlement of
California, continues for a month or more to emit smoke and flames, followed by the earthquake of......Oct. 8-9, 1865
Oregon ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment to the
Constitution......Dec. 11, 1865
Oregon ratifies the Fourteenth Amendment by one majority, and this act is disputed, as secured by the votes of two
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Republican members of the
House afterwards expelled......Sept. 19, 1866
Cincinnatus H. Miller (
Joaquin Miller) appointed judge of
Grant county......1866
Cargo of wheat shipped from
Oregon direct to
Australia by bark
Whistler......1867
Grading for
Oregon Central Railroad begun at
Portland, April 14; grading of the rival
Oregon and
California Railroad begun......April 16, 1868
First full cargo of wheat exported from
Oregon direct to
Europe by
Joseph Watt to
Liverpool by the
Sallie Brown......1868
State agricultural college at
Corvallis opened......1868
Legislature rejects the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, and protests against the treaty with
China......1870
Oregon school for deaf-mutes at
Salem opened......1870
Legislature rescinds the resolution of 1870, rejecting the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments......1872
Captain Jackson, commissioned to remove the Modocs to a reservation, fights them on
Lost River, near
Tule Lake......Nov. 29, 1872
First convention of the
Oregon State Woman's Suffrage Association held at
Portland......February, 1873
Congress grants public lands in
Oregon to construct a military road across the
State, July 2, 1864; the legislature grants 1,920 acres of this for each mile to be built by the Oregon Central Military Road Company, which builds to the summit of the
Cascade Mountains in 1867; the company sells its lands to the Pacific Land Company of San Francisco......1873
Oregon Pioneer Association organized......Oct. 18, 1873
State board of immigration created by law......Oct. 28, 1874
Oregon and Washington Fish Propagating Company incorporated; hatching establishment near
Oregon City......April, 1875
University of
Oregon at
Eugene City, chartered in 1872, is opened......Oct. 18, 1876
Constitutional amendment, that “the elective franchise in this State shall not hereafter be prohibited to any citizen on account of sex,” passed and approved by the governor......1880
Amendment conferring the suffrage on women is lost; 28,176 votes against to 11,223 in favor......June 2, 1884
Local option bill passed by the legislature......1885
State normal school at Drain created by law......1885
Bill passed creating a State board of agriculture......1885
First Saturday in June made a legal holiday, Labor Day......1887
State convention at
Salem forms an amalgamated party, including Prohibitionists, Grangers, Free-traders, Greenbackers, American party men, Knights of Labor, Union Labor, and Woman Suffragists, under the title Union party, to oppose the Republicans and Democrats......Sept. 14, 1889
Australian ballot law enacted, and State board of charities and corrections established at the session......Jan. 12–Feb. 20, 1891
Women over twenty-one years of age made eligible to all educational offices......1893
State capitol completed......1893
Fire at
Silver Lake in which forty persons perished......Dec. 29, 1894
Departure of 2d Oregon Volunteers for
Philippine Islands......May 25, 1898
Return of 2d Oregon Volunteers from
Philippine Islands......July 12, 1899
Five proposed constitutional amendments rejected......November, 1900
Erection of a monument at
Champoeg on the fifty-eighth anniversary of a meeting at which a majority of those present voted for
Oregon Territory to become a part of the
United States......May 2, 1901
Adoption of text-books for public schools of
Oregon for a period of six years......July 11, 1901
Pennsylvania 
