This Is Oregon State

1. This Is Oregon State By: Zachary Lewis

2. Oregon state outline • Here is some of the lay outs of Oregon state. the one on the top shows the cities. The one on the bottom it shows the lakes and rivers in Oregon.

3. Oregon State Flag • The flag of Oregon is the only state flag with different pictures on each side. On the reverse appears a beaver the state animal. Both sides have a field of navy blue with design in gold. The front picture includes a heart shaped shield with an eagle on top, surrounded by thirty-three stars. ( The number of states in 1859. ) The scene on the shield shows the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, mountains, forests and a covered wagon. A plow, wheat and pickax represent farming and mining. Of the two ships: The one leaving is a British ship and the one arriving is a United States ship representing trade. The eagle represents the United States. On a banner are the words "The Union" representing support for the United States. Finally the flag is emblazoned with the words "State of Oregon" above the picture and the date of statehood "1859" below.

4. Oregon state nickname and motto • The nickname for Oregon is The Beaver State, originating in the early 19th century when fur hats were fashionable and Oregon’s streams were an important source of beaver pelts. The trapping routes used by early "mountain men" later became known as The Oregon Trail, traveled by thousands of pioneers in the 1840's. The beaver is also Oregon's official state animal and appears on the state flag. • The American Beaver (Castor Canadensis) was named Oregon state animal by the 1969 Legislature. Prized for its fur, the beaver was over trapped by early settlers and eliminated from much of its original range. Through proper management and partial protection, the beaver has been reestablished in watercourses throughout the state and remains an important economic asset. The beaver has been referred to as "nature's engineer," and its dam-building activities are important to natural water flow and erosion control. Oregon is known as the “Beaver State” and Oregon State University's athletic teams are called the "Beavers." "She Flies With Her Own Wings" (Allis Volta Propels) became the official state motto of Oregon in 1987, replacing "The Union" (adopted in 1957).

5. A low growing plant, the Oregon Grape is native to much of the Pacific Coast and found sparsely east of the Cascades. Its year-round foliage of pinnate, waxy green leaves resembles holly. The plant bears dainty yellow flowers in early summer and a dark blue berry that ripens late in the fall. The fruit can be used in cooking.