Flag History
The flag of Oregon is the only flag that retained its double-sided design. Each side has a blue background with gold design. A picture of a beaver, the state animal from where Oregon derives its nickname, the Beaver State, appears on the back. On the front is a picture of the central part of the state's seal, which is the heart-shaped shield. On the bottom is the date of statehood. The shield shows an ocean scene with a British warship departing and an American steamer arriving, signifying the change of control over the Oregon Territory, when in 1846 President James K. Polk signed a treaty with England that gave the land to the United States. The mountain and elk represent the many mountain peaks and game herds in the state. The covered wagon recalls the pioneers' settling of the region and their trek on the Oregon Trail.
Flag Adopted: 1925
State Nickname: The Beaver State
State Motto: The Union
Area: 97,073 square miles
Approximate Population: 2.7 million
Capital: Salem
Largest City: Portland
Major Products: gold, cattle, hay, wheat, timber, tourism
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Tree: Douglas Fir
State Flower: Oregon Grape
