A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...02-20-04...Oregon - "She Flies With Her Own Wings"

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Please join us as we make a cyber-visit to another great state in this Union of ours.

Over the past few months each "Finest" hostess has profiled her home state and I will be presenting the other states in random order. Please FReepMail me if you would like to participate in spotlighting your state. I would love to have your input on what you would like to see highlighted.

These are the states we have presented to date:

05-23-03 Alabama 06-27-03 Maryland 07-11-03 Vermont 07-25-03 Utah 08-05-03 Texas 08-22-03 Nevada 08-26-03 Wash DC 09-05-03 Tennessee 09-17-03 Florida

09-19-03 Minnesota 10-03-03 New Mexico 10-14-03 Georgia 10-17-03 Louisiana 10-22-03 Michigan 11-04-03 South Dakota 11-14-03 California 01-09-04 South Carolina 02-06-04 West Virginia

As we present each of our 50 states we also salute the proud FReepers who call their state 'home'.

Today we are traveling to the great
state Oregon, "The Beaver State".

One hundred and fifty years ago,
this cry was heard throughout
the east and midwest....

"Free land in Oregon!"



The 2,000 mile long route that stretched from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City pointed the way west for an estimated 300,000 pioneers and settlers in the middle of the 19th century. What turned out to be the largest voluntary peacetime mass migration in human history was critical to America's history as it sought to become a nation that stretched from "sea to shining sea".

Tens of thousands of wagons in every description, rumbled along this dusty trail. Still visible in many places, the ruts remain as a silent testimony to those who struggled, suffered and died in pursuit of their dreams.

An Oregon-bound airline, in 1849? Don't laugh--it almost happened. Rufus Porter, founder of Scientific American, planned to fly pioneers to Oregon on propeller-driven balloons powered by steam engines. He advertised the endeavor, and 200 brave souls signed up for the trip. But the "airline" never got off the ground.

Then there was the wind wagon, a cross between a sailboat and a wagon. Because it can be very windy in the West, it seemed like a good idea on paper. A prototype was built, and for a brief moment it barreled across the plains at the advertised 15 miles per hour. Then it went out of control and crashed. The inventor, "Wind-Wagon Thomas," kept trying for years, but never succeeded.

Others took a more low-tech approach, making the trip with only a simple wheelbarrow. It's hard to imagine pushing a fully loaded wheelbarrow for 2,000 miles, but several dozen people tried. For a time, they could outpace everything on the Trail, but human endurance has its limits. It is uncertain whether any of them made it all the way.

Mormon handcarts were somewhat more sophisticated. Like wheelbarrows, they were human-powered, but handcarts were pulled, not pushed. Thousands of handcarts made it to Salt Lake City, Utah, but there is no record of anyone taking a handcart further west.

***Oregon State Facts and Trivia***

• Oregon's state flag pictures a beaver on its reverse side. It is the only state flag to carry two separate designs.
  
  
   
• Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.
   
• Oregon and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations.
   
• Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets.
   
• Pilot Butte, a cinder cone volcano, exists within the city limits of Bend.
   
• At 329 feet the Coast Douglas-Fir in Oregon is considered the tallest tree in the state.
   
• At 8,000 feet deep Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America.
   
• The Columbia River gorge is considered by many to be the best place in the world for windsurfing.
  
  
   
• The hazelnut is Oregon's official state nut. Oregon is the only state that has an official state nut. The hazelnut is also known as the filbert.
   
• Oregon's state birthday is on February 14, Valentine's Day.
   
• The "Oregon Pioneer" statue that tops the capitol building in Salem is a work by Ulric Ellerhusen. This heroic figure represents the spirit of Oregon's early settlers.
  
  
   
• In 1858 the richest gold find in the Cascade Mountains was discovered in the Bohemia Mining District at Sharp's Creek near Cottage Grove.
   
• In 1876 the University of Oregon opened in Eugene. Deady Hall was the first building on campus and still exists.
   
• In 1880 a sea cave was discovered near what is now known as Florence. Sea Lion Caves is known to be the largest sea cave in the world.
   
• The nation's most photographed lighthouse is the Heceta Head Lighthouse located in Lane County.
  
  
   
• Oregon's second highest waterfall is Salt Creek Falls in the Cascade Mountain range. It drops 286 feet.
   
• Eugene is rated by "Bicycling Magazine" as one of the top ten cycling communities in the United States.
   
• There are nine lighthouses standing along the coastline. Five are still being used; the others are designated historic monuments.
   
• Portland is considered an example of outstanding urban planning. The city is known as The City of Roses.
   
• Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is formed in the remains of an ancient volcano.
  
  
   
• High above the city of Portland the International Rose Test Garden features more than 500 varieties of roses cultivated continuously since 1917.
   
• At 11,239 feet Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano.
   
• Silver Falls State Park is the Oregon's largest state park. It features 10 waterfalls and contains a wide variety of forested hiking trails.
   
• Discovered in 1874 the caves located in Oregon Caves National Monument are carved within solid marble.
   
• Fort Clatsop National Memorial contains a replica of Lewis and Clark's 1805-1806 winter outpost.
   
• In 1905 the largest long cabin in the world was built in Portland to honor the Lewis and Clark expedition.
   
• A treaty between the United States and Spain established the current southern border between Oregon and California. The treaty was signed in 1819.
   
• The Oregon Trail is the longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion of the United States.
   
• Haystack Rock off Cannon Beach is 235 feet high and is the third largest coastal monolith in the world.
  
  
   
• The Seaside Aquarium was the first facility in the world to successfully breed harbor seals in captivity.
  
  
  

There is much to see and do in this interesting state,
not the least of which is exploring the beautiful
and rugged Oregon coastline.

The following websites provided
historical information and graphics....
"Oregon - The Facts"
"The Oregon Trail"

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-16-04...Military Monday 02-17-04...Random Acts Of Kindness 02-18-04...An Observation From Fred The Cat 02-19-04...JohnHuang2 - John's Two Cents

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45MAN danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[The Mayor]

I said the same thing in another thread earlier this week.

We have turned into a giant Sodom and Gomorrah.

Like you said...............only by the grace of God.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning Mama and everyone. It is a beautiful day in Southeastern Pennsylvania. I hope it isn't raining in Oregon.

[Donaeus]

Goooooood morning ya'll!! Happy FRiday. :)

Lori, lovely job on your Oregon feature. My favorite part was on Swallowtails which I've loved since my 7th grade drawing for science class.

The hazelnut is Oregon's official state nut. Oregon is the only state that has an official state nut. The hazelnut is also known as the filbert. But at the Finest we have many official nuts from numerous states!!!

Replies to yesterday's post--wish I could post individually but I've got a time crunch here at the office. Hopefully I can get back later...

ohioWfan I'm glad you listened to Billie's great suggestion to share Eric. Having a face to put on our soldiers makes this war even more personal and meaningful--we know who's fighting for us and who we're supporting. I think we are all so fortunate to have found a group of people who "get it", some from personal experience and others who are willing students. This is one of the things that makes America great! Maybe when Eric gets back you can have him visit with us and we can be "too nice" in person. :)

LadyX LOL Perfectly agreed Maggie! I wish I could sit next to you while you're reading and writing, what an experience, er...treat that would be. Hehehe.

Aquamarine OK but you'd better not let it happen again...or it's the perk walk for you! LOL.

ROFL!!! Pleeeeeeeease Brer Aqua, don't make me take the perk walk, I don't like coffee at all. *snicker snicker* I don't want to take the perp walk either so I'll try really hard not to be absent so long. :)

dixie sass Helloooo there Sassy! :)

John You're welcome :) :) LOL

ALL I've missed everybody and been thinking about ya'll lots. Have a wonderful day and a terrific weekend just in case I don't make it back.

[Mama_Bear]

Hiya Meekie. The Beaver (Cleaver) State. LOL. That's cute. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Oregon, where God Spent His Quality time. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Mornin' Aeronaut. Sharp plane you're flying there. Have I told you how much I really, really would like to go up in a jet like that? What a thrill of a lifetime that would be!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! I couldn't resist that.

June: Ward, have you seen The Beaver ? ...

Ward: Why, no dear. I haven't seen The Beav since early this morning.

[Molly Pitcher]

Outstanding thread MB. Thanks for its beauty and info!

Frolicky Friday greetings to everyone!

bev, don't miss this thread about your wonderful home state.

[Mama_Bear]

Oregon, where God Spent His Quality time. :-)

I can believe that! Some beautiful country you have up there. The only part of Oregon that I have seen is what can be seen from a car window traveling up Route 5. The Grants Pass area and Rouge River is just beautiful - actually it all is.

Someday I would like to travel up 101. That must be a beautiful drive along the coast. Also want to see Crater Lake.

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning, Gail. I love that watermelon bear! You find bears that I have never seen before.....and I thought I had seen them all by now. LOL.

Thank you for this one and for the one you posted a couple days ago. I appreciate each one that you pass on to me. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Never measure God's unlimited power by your limited expectations

Excellent advice. Thank you, Rus, for all you do and all you bring to the Finest.

Wishing you a great FRiday!

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning, nic! Always nice to see you here at the Finest. :-)

You have a beautiful Friday.

[SAMWolf]

Haven't been to Crater Lake yet. 101 is a beautiful drive! If you get the chance go through the Gorge.

[Mama_Bear]

You sure do work well in a pinch! Looks like your job is safe for now. lol

LOL. *YOU*, sistah, are responsible for there even being a Finest thread today! I just can't thank you enough for asking me if I was posting another state today. And I can't believe how I had misread the schedule! "Skimming" over something when I am in a rush is a really bad habit. (I've been told I don't listen all that well either.) :-(

How embarrassing it would have been to have had NO Finest post today! People would have been wandering around lost, forlorn and thread-less. And I surely would have been booted out of the Sista'hood.

Thanks so much for offering to help me out of the bind that I found myself in and for sending me those Oregon links.

((((((((hugs))))))))) to one of the nicest people I know. :-)

[The Thin Man]

Wonderful presentation, Mama_Bear!

Everything is perfect. Lots of interesting information, and the graphics and color scheme are just right.

I only wish the other hostesses could do half as good a job.

Did I say it the way you wanted me to? I hope this doesn't get you in trouble.

:-)

[Mama_Bear]

Did I say it the way you wanted me to? I hope this doesn't get you in trouble.

Perfect, just as we rehearsed it. ;-) LOL!

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning to you, Temple Owl.

I hope it isn't raining in Oregon.

Well, it probably is. It's about the greenest state I have ever seen. Did you see the photo that SAMWolf posted, #33? Isn't that beautiful?

[Mama_Bear]

Lori, lovely job on your Oregon feature.

Awwww.......thank you, Donaeus.

It's a lovely state and I find the stories about the history of the area very interesting. When I started researching Oregon I got caught up in the Diaries and Memoirs of some of the first people to travel the Oregon Trail. A fascinating glimpse into the day to day lives of some very brave and tough people.

[FreeTheHostages]

[Mama_Bear]

Frolicky Friday greetings to everyone!

"Frolicky Friday" - I love it! LOL

Thanks for frolicking through Oregon with us, Molly. Have a great day!