Oregon became a state of the US in 1859. A state which started of as a collection of New England missionaries and French and British trappers is now one of the populated states of the US. Oregon has a mixed culture of people who are pro-logging, ant-gay conservatives to ex-hippy liberals. Oregon became one of the world’s largest shipment points in 1890, when the railroads reached Portland. Oregon is located on the Pacific coast of the northwestern US. Oregon ranks 10th in size among the 50 states covering a total area of 97,073 sq mi (251,419 sq km), with land comprising 96,184 sq mi (249,117 sq km) and inland water 889 sq mi (2,302 sq km).

Oregon is surrounded by Washington on the North, by Idaho on the East ;by Nevada and California on the South; and on the West by the Pacific Ocean. The state's geographic center is in Crook County, 25 mi (40 km) SSE of Prineville.