Culture of Oregon facts for kids
The culture of Oregon is rich and varied, with a long history stretching back before European settlers arrived. Originally, about 80 different Native American tribes lived in Oregon. Later, European American trappers and traders came, followed by many settlers traveling the famous Oregon Trail. Around 53,000 people used this trail between 1840 and 1850. Sadly, some early laws in Oregon were unfair, making it hard for Black Americans to live there. Even in 2019, most of Oregon's population was white (87%), with a smaller percentage of Black residents (2%).
Major events like World War I boosted Oregon's economy, especially in shipbuilding and timber in Portland. During the 1930s, programs like the Works Projects Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps helped build many important projects across the state. These included the beautiful Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, as well as hydroelectric dams and roads. These improvements made life better for many Oregonians and encouraged more people to settle there. Water from the Columbia River also helped farms grow. The Bonneville Dam provided cheap power, which helped industries like aluminum plants grow during World War II. Food production, shipbuilding, and lumber also grew a lot to support the country during the war.
More recently, electronics and tourism have become big parts of Oregon's economy. Tourism is now the state's third largest source of money, after lumber and farming. Oregon is a top producer of many crops, including Christmas trees, grass seed, peppermint, blackberries, and hazelnuts. Other important crops are wheat, potatoes, pears, and onions. Oregon's wineries are also famous, especially for their chardonnay and pinot noir wines from Yamhill and Washington counties. The state also grows many kinds of berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, making summer a favorite time for many.
Today, groups like the Oregon Cultural Trust help raise money for arts, history, and culture in Oregon. The annual Oregon State Fair has been a big event since 1861, featuring competitions for farm products, gardens, and flowers.
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Native American Culture in Oregon
Oregon has a very diverse Native American culture. Before European pioneers settled here, about 80 different tribes lived across the land. Today, there are seven reservations in Oregon that belong to seven of the nine federally recognized tribes. These reservations are special lands set aside for the tribes.
- The Burns Paiute Indian Colony is in Harney County.
- The Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Reservation is very small, less than 10 acres.
- The Coquille Reservation includes over 5,400 acres near Coos Bay.
- The Grand Ronde Community is mostly in Yamhill County.
- The Siletz Reservation is mainly in Lincoln County.
- The Umatilla Reservation is mostly in Umatilla County.
- The Warm Springs Reservation is the largest, mainly in Wasco and Jefferson counties.
Arts and Creativity in Oregon
Oregon is a hub for arts, with many museums and performing arts groups.
Explore Oregon's Museums
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon opened in 1933. It was built to hold a large collection of Asian art given by Gertrude Bass Warner. This museum is recognized nationally for its quality. Another major art museum is the Portland Art Museum (PAM). Founded in 1892, it is one of the oldest museums in the United States and the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. PAM is known for its amazing collections and special exhibits. It welcomes over 350,000 visitors each year and is a great place to learn about visual arts.
Discover Performing Arts
Performing arts are very popular in Oregon. The most famous event is the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which has been held in Ashland, Oregon since 1935. The Portland Opera is another important part of Oregon's performing arts scene. It was the first place to show two operas: Bernard Herrmann's Wuthering Heights and Christopher Drobny's Lucy's Lapses. In Astoria, the Astor Street Opry Company performs Shanghaied in Astoria, a musical melodrama, every summer since 1984.
Music Scene in Oregon
Oregon has a lively music scene, from classical orchestras to indie bands.
Orchestras and Festivals
The Oregon Symphony is one of the largest orchestras in the country and a major arts group in the Northwest. They perform for about 320,000 people each year. Oregon also hosts several music festivals. The Oregon Festival of American Music is a two-week summer festival held annually in Eugene since 1992. Other popular music festivals include the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, the Oregon Bach Festival in Eugene, and the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival in Gresham.
Famous Musicians
Portland is especially known for its strong indie music scene. Many famous indie musicians started there, such as The Decemberists, Gossip, The Dandy Warhols, and Pink Martini. Other well-known musicians, like Modest Mouse and The Shins, have moved to Portland.
Several songs also mention Oregon. For example, "Eugene, Oregon" by Dolly Parton and "Lumberjack" by Johnny Cash. The album Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens mentions many places in Oregon, including Eugene, Roseburg, and Sea Lion Caves.
Literature and Authors
Oregon has inspired many writers and is home to several famous authors.
Meet Oregon's Authors
Children's author Beverly Cleary set many of her beloved stories in Portland. For example, her character Henry Huggins lived on Klickitat Street, and Ramona Quimby was named after Quimby Street.
Ursula K. Le Guin, a famous science fiction writer, lived in Portland since 1958. Her well-known novel The Lathe of Heaven is set in a future Portland.
Author Jean Auel, known for her Earth's Children series, lives in Portland. She studied at both Portland State University and the University of Portland.
Chuck Palahniuk, who wrote Fight Club, also wrote a unique travel book about Portland called Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon.
Steve Perry, a writer of movie adaptations, Batman cartoons, and many novels, often includes references to Portland and the Pacific Northwest in his books.
Other authors from Oregon include Virginia Euwer Wolff, Daniel H. Wilson, and Phillip Margolin.
Film Industry in Oregon
Oregon is a popular place for filmmaking, both for its beautiful scenery and its talented people.
Filmmakers from Oregon
Many successful filmmakers have ties to Oregon. Director David Fincher, known for Seven and Zodiac, graduated from Ashland High School. Director Brad Bird, who made animated films like The Incredibles, graduated from Corvallis High School. Simpsons creator Matt Groening graduated from Lincoln High School.
Director Gus Van Sant has received much praise for his films, including My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy, and Good Will Hunting. He even won an award at the Cannes Film Festival for his film Elephant.
Will Vinton Studios, based in Oregon, was famous for its animated films, especially clay animation. They created the California Raisins commercials and the feature film Return to Oz.
Films Set or Shot in Oregon
Oregon has been the setting for hundreds of movies. Some famous ones include The Goonies, Stand By Me, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Mr. Holland's Opus. Because of its diverse landscapes, Oregon is also a popular place to film movies. For example, Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood was used for the outside shots of the hotel in The Shining. Animal House was filmed at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Even though Twilight is set in Washington, it was filmed in Portland and St. Helens.
The Oregon Film Museum in Astoria celebrates films made in Oregon. It's located in the old Clatsop County Jail, which was used in the opening scene of The Goonies.
Delicious Oregon Cuisine
Oregon is known for its fresh produce and unique food creations.
Oregon grows many fruits and berries, including pears, blueberries, and blackberries. The Marionberries, a special type of blackberry, were developed in Oregon and make up more than half of all blackberries grown in the state. Oregon is also the top producer of hazelnuts in the United States.
Seafood like Dungeness crab is also very common and delicious.
Did you know that Tater tots were invented in Oregon? They were created by the Ore-Ida company in Ontario, Oregon.
Voodoo Doughnut is a famous doughnut company in Portland, known for its unusual flavors like breakfast cereal and bacon. Portland is also home to Salt & Straw, an ice cream company with unique flavors like Bone Marrow with Bourbon Smoked Cherries. In Tillamook, Oregon, you'll find the Tillamook County Creamery Association, a large dairy producer. Their Medium Cheddar Cheese won a gold medal in the 2010 World Cheese Championship.
Oregon's National Landmarks
Oregon is home to many important natural and historic landmarks.
Amazing Natural Landmarks
Oregon has many beautiful natural landmarks. The most famous is Crater Lake, which is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park. It's known for its deep blue color and clear water. The lake fills a very deep bowl, called a caldera, which was formed about 7,700 years ago when the volcano Mount Mazama collapsed. Crater Lake is also the deepest lake in the U.S.A.
Other major natural landmarks include Crown Point, a viewpoint on the Columbia River Gorge, and Fort Rock State Monument, a volcanic rock formation. The John Day Fossil Beds is a huge park famous for its incredibly well-preserved fossils of ancient plants and animals.
Important Historic Landmarks
Oregon has many historic landmarks spread across the state. These include historic dams like the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. The Deady and Villard Halls are the two oldest buildings on the University of Oregon campus. There are also many other historic places listed on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the Monteith Historic District in Albany.
