Welcome to the Oregon Encyclopedia.
Explore Oregon's history and culture — from Athapaskan Indians to Zigzag Ranger Station
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June: LGBTQ Pride
Happy Pride Month!
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![Alan Hart (1890-1962)]()
Alan Hart (1890-1962)
Alan L. Hart was an Oregon physician, researcher, and writer and one of the first female-to-male tr…
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![Basic Rights Oregon]()
Basic Rights Oregon
Established in 1996, Basic Rights Oregon was the first statewide political organization in Oregon t…
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![Bosco-Milligan Foundation]()
Bosco-Milligan Foundation
The Bosco-Milligan Foundation of Portland was founded in 1987 by Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan to pr…
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![Daniel Rives Kistler (1949–)]()
Daniel Rives Kistler (1949–)
Rives Kistler served on the Oregon Supreme Court for fifteen years, from 2003 to 2018. His work on …
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![Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest LGBTQ History]()
Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest LGBTQ History
The Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest was founded in October 1994 by a small group of…
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![Gay and lesbian rights movement]()
Gay and lesbian rights movement
Before Stonewall Before New York’s Stonewall Riots in 1969, the history of gay rights in Oregon, a…
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![Johnnie Ray (1927-1990)]()
Johnnie Ray (1927-1990)
Johnnie Ray was completely different from anything that went before him. . . . I consider Johnnie R…
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![Marie Equi (1872-1952)]()
Marie Equi (1872-1952)
Dr. Marie Equi was a fiercely independent Oregon physician who was engaged in the political turmoil…
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![Minor White (1908-1976)]()
Minor White (1908-1976)
Minor White was an American photographer, teacher, and writer whose career began in Oregon during t…
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![Oregon Citizens Alliance]()
Oregon Citizens Alliance
The Oregon Citizens Alliance was a conservative activist group and political action committee that …
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![Portland Gay Men's Chorus]()
Portland Gay Men's Chorus
The Portland Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) was founded in April 1980 to perform a concert as part of that…
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![Portland Vice Scandal (1912-1913)]()
Portland Vice Scandal (1912-1913)
On November 8, 1912, Portland police arrested nineteen-year-old Benjamin Trout for a minor offense.…
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![Stu Rasmussen (1948-2021)]()
Stu Rasmussen (1948-2021)
In a state heralded for its tolerance, Stu Rasmussen stood out. The charismatic city council member…
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![Walter Cole (Darcelle)]()
Walter Cole (Darcelle)
When Walter Cole was discharged from the military in the late 1950s, he had little idea that his al…
Feeling adventurous? How Oregonian of you.
Or may we suggest…
Explore OHS Digital History Projects
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Wayfinder
An interactive map of notable places, people, and events in Oregon history.
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Oregon History Project
The Research Library at the Oregon Historical Society provides direct access to digitized and digital materials as well as narratives from Pacific Northwest historians.
The Corner Gallery
Chinese History in Oregon
Chinese immigrants were among the first non-Native settlers in Oregon Country.
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![Ah Hee Diggings (Chinese Walls)]()
Ah Hee Diggings (Chinese Walls)
The Ah Hee Diggings, also called the Chinese Walls, are sixty acres of …
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![Baker City Chinatown]()
Baker City Chinatown
For over seven decades, Baker City had an area referred to as Chinatown…
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![Chinese Americans in Oregon]()
Chinese Americans in Oregon
The Pioneer Period, 1850-1860 The Cantonese-Chinese were the first Chi…
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![Chinese Massacre at Deep Creek]()
Chinese Massacre at Deep Creek
Of the many crimes and injustices committed against early Chinese immig…
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![Chinese mining in Oregon]()
Chinese mining in Oregon
The city of Guangzhou (formerly known to Westerners as Canton) is the c…
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![Expulsion of Chinese from Oregon City, 1886]()
Expulsion of Chinese from Oregon City, 1886
On February 22, 1886, approximately forty men gathered in Oregon City a…
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![Hazel Ying Lee (1912-1944)]()
Hazel Ying Lee (1912-1944)
Hazel Ying Lee, who was born and educated in Oregon, was the first Chin…
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![Ing Hay ("Doc Hay") (1862-1952)]()
Ing Hay ("Doc Hay") (1862-1952)
Ing Hay (Wu Yunian), also known as Doc Hay, was a partner of Kam Wah Ch…
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![Kam Wah Chung and Co.]()
Kam Wah Chung and Co.
The Kam Wah Chung and Company (Jin huachang ‘Golden Flower of Pro…
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![Lan Su Chinese Garden]()
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Poetically named Garden of Awakening Orchids, Lan Su Yuan, the Portland…
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![Lung On (1863-1940)]()
Lung On (1863-1940)
Lung On (Liang Guanying, also known as Leon) was a partner with Ing Hay…
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![Seid Back (1851–1916)]()
Seid Back (1851–1916)
Seid Back was a Chinese immigrant, merchant, and labor broker whose rep…
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![The Myth of Chinese Tunnels in Pendleton]()
The Myth of Chinese Tunnels in Pendleton
Pendleton is one of several Oregon communities rumored to have undergro…
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![Two Dragon mining camp]()
Two Dragon mining camp
Two Dragon Camp was an isolated, 2.5-acre placer mining camp in the Cam…
The OE is Green!
Our editorial process is completely paperless — authors and editors use a one-of-a-kind online workshop developed by Portland State University. We've published hundreds of authoritative entries on Oregon history and culture without hurting a single Douglas Fir. Donate your green to The OE and keep us — and the trees — growing.
Additional Funding
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This project has been funded in part by the Oregon Heritage Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust
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LSTA Libraries as Community Resources Meetings is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Project Partners
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