A World War I memorial in Jacksonville. (Oregon State Archives Scenic Images collection)
Oregon History by Professor Bob H. Reinhardt, Ph.D.
Historian Bob Reinhardt’s essay introduces readers to the myriad ways that people interacted with their environments to create this place we know as Oregon—from the Native people who made this land their home for thousands of years before Lewis and Clark, to the complex challenges rural and urban Oregonians alike will grapple with in the coming decades.
Section I: Prehistory and the Early Environment
Original Oregonians
Oregon & Imperial Ambition
Oregon Becomes American
Creating an Exclusive Paradise
Expanding into New Environments
Section II: Confidence in Control of Oregon’s Environments
Connecting Oregon
Industrialization & Urbanization
Reforming Industrial Oregon
World War I & Reactionary Oregon
Confidence Amidst the Crises of Depression & World War II
Section III: Pursuing Growth and Sustainability
Postwar Boom
The Oregon Story & Other Narratives
The Gaps Widen
Bridges & Divides
The Potential for Conflict & Pragmatic Compromise
Chronological History
Oregon Prehistory
1543-1850
1851-1900
1902-1950
1951-Present
Bibliography
Articles
Books
Related information
Act of Congress Admitting Oregon to the Union
Oregon's Heritage & History Organizations
Oregon History Exhibits - explore the history and culture of the state