Oregon Facts, part II
Continuing yesterday’s many-part series on new facts about our state, I bring you part two, today!
Mount Hood is Oregon’s highest peak and attracts more climbers than any other glaciated peak in North America. In the world, only Japan’s Mount Fujiyama attracts more.
Several species of the rhododendron along the Ramona Falls Trail have blooms up to six inches across; they are well-known indigenous Coast & Cascade Range plants.
Two of Portland’s original settlers decided the city’s name with a coin toss. Francis Pettygrove, originally from Maine, chose Portland. Massachusetts-born Asa Lovejoy preferred Boston.
From charter boats to freighters to pleasure yachts and kayaks, the city’s position on the Willamette River makes it a natural international port. In fact, the city’s docks process billions of dollars worth of cargo every year.
Pioneer Courthouse Square was the site of a school, a hotel, and a parking lot before thousands of Portland residents donated funds in the 1970s to create a public space. The downtown square is a natural gathering place, and concerts in the amphitheater attract large summer crowds.
There is no shortage of interesting trivia about Portland. The city offers one of the world’s largest bookstores (Powell’s) and hosts one of the largest children’s parades. To top it off, more Asian elephants are born at the zoo here than any other American city.
Astoria hosts the Columbia River Maritime Museum at the mouth of the Columbia River. The museum offers a detailed look at the history of trade, recreation, wrecks, and rescues in the Pacific Northwest.
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