Welcome to the Oregon Encyclopedia.
Explore Oregon's history and culture — from Athapaskan Indians to Zigzag Ranger Station
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June: Happy Pride Month
Learn about LGBTQ History in Oregon.
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Alan Hart (1890-1962)
Alan L. Hart was an Oregon physician, researcher, and writer and one of the first female-to-male tr…
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Basic Rights Oregon
Established in 1996, Basic Rights Oregon was the first statewide political organization in Oregon t…
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Daniel Rives Kistler (1949–)
Rives Kistler served on the Oregon Supreme Court for fifteen years, from 2003 to 2018. His work on …
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Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest LGBTQ History
The Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest was founded in October 1994 by a small group of…
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Gay and lesbian rights movement
Before Stonewall Before New York’s Stonewall Riots in 1969, the history of gay rights in Oregon, a…
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Gus Van Sant (1952-)
Gus Van Sant, Oregon’s most celebrated filmmaker, has lived and worked in Portland for more than th…
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Johnnie Ray (1927-1990)
Johnnie Ray was completely different from anything that went before him. . . . I consider Johnnie R…
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Marie Equi (1872-1952)
Dr. Marie Equi was a fiercely independent Oregon physician who was engaged in the political turmoil…
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Minor White (1908-1976)
Minor White was an American photographer, teacher, and writer whose career began in Oregon during t…
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Portland Gay Men's Chorus
The Portland Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) was founded in April 1980 to perform a concert as part of that…
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Walter Cole (Darcelle) (1930-2023)
When Walter Cole was discharged from the military in the late 1950s, he had little idea that his al…
Feeling adventurous? How Oregonian of you.
Or may we suggest…
Explore OHS Digital History Projects
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Wayfinder
An interactive map of notable places, people, and events in Oregon history.
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Oregon History Project
The Research Library at the Oregon Historical Society provides direct access to digitized and digital materials as well as narratives from Pacific Northwest historians.
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Oregon TimeWeb
An interactive timeline of archival materials and historical scholarship on the history of Oregon.
This Just In
New Entries
"We could see the top of one hill and think that was the last. But when we gained that, others kept rising before us. To look back, in retreat, seemed utterly out of the question. To look forward was to look directly upwards, as the ascent seemed almost perpendicular." Harriet Hitchcock, 13, 1865, Oregon Trail
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Amanda Wood Reed (1832–1904)
Amanda Wood Reed was an early twentieth-century philanthropist and the …
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Bonnie Merrill (1935–2019)
Bonnie Merrill, a dancer, teacher, and choreographer, was a founder and…
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Brownsville
The City of Brownsville (Linn County) is in the southern Willamette Val…
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Helen F. Althaus (1910–2006)
A descendent of Oregon pioneers, Helen Althaus was a pioneer woman lawy…
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Helen Jackson Frye (1930–2011)
Helen J. Frye was the first woman to serve as a judge of the Lane Count…
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Herbert Milton Schwab (1915–2005)
Herb Schwab was the first chief judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals, a…
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Hood River Irrigation
Irrigation in the Hood River Valley, about sixty miles east of Portland…
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Klamath Falls (city)
Klamath Falls, the county seat of Klamath County, is on the southeaster…
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Mill Creek Correctional Facility
The Mill Creek Correctional Facility, located on Turner Road southeast …
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Mt. Ashland Ski Area
The Mt. Ashland Ski Area, which encompasses over 240 acres of national …
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Oregon School for the Blind
The Oregon School for the Blind, also known as the Oregon Institute for…
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Pine nuts
Pine nuts, the edible seeds of Pinus sp. trees, are a key food source f…
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Pronto Pups
A Pronto Pup is a popular fast food invented in Oregon and marketed nat…
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Siskiyou Mountains in Oregon
Southwestern Oregon’s Siskiyou Mountains, which comprise the largest su…
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Stephen Rogers McCarthy (1943–2023)
An adventurer who took risks in life and in business, Steve McCarthy wa…
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The Northern Great Basin During the Ice Age
During the Ice Age, from about 25,000 to 11,700 years ago, the Northern…
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Vancouver Barracks
Established in 1849, Vancouver Barracks played a pivotal role in region…
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Wheat Farming in Oregon
In the United States, wheat is consistently among the top five crops in…
The OE is Green!
Our editorial process is completely paperless — authors and editors use a one-of-a-kind online workshop developed by Portland State University. We've published hundreds of authoritative entries on Oregon history and culture without hurting a single Douglas Fir. Donate your green to The OE and keep us — and the trees — growing.
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Additional Funding
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This project has been funded in part by the Oregon Heritage Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust
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This project has been funded in part by an American Rescue Plan Act Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.