Chronology of Oregon Events
1543
Spanish explorers sight the Oregon Coast north of the
forty-second
parallel near the Rogue River.
1765
British Major Robert Rogers uses the name "Ouragon" in
a proposal
to explore the country west of the
Mississippi.
1778
British Captain James Cook trades along the Oregon
Coast. Publication
of his journals about these
voyages spurs great interest in future trade.
1792
American sea captain Robert Gray and British explorer
George Vancouver arrive at the mouth of the Columbia
River on separate voyages of discovery. Gray names
the river after his ship, "Columbia Rediviva."
1793
Alexander McKenzie leads an expedition over the
Canadian Rockies to the Pacific.
1805
Sent by President Thomas Jefferson, the Lewis and
Clark Expedition
reaches the mouth of the Columbia
River.
1811
British trader and explorer David Thompson completes a
survey of the Columbia River. The Pacific Fur
Company, founded by American financier John Jacob
Astor, establishes a string of trading posts along the
lower Columbia.
1813
British interests take control of Fort Astoria and
rename it Fort George.
Jane Barnes becomes the first woman to land in 1814 Oregon.
1818
The United States and Great Britain agree on "joint
occupancy"
for the Oregon Country.
1819
The Adams-Onis Treaty establishes the 42nd parallel as
the southern
boundary of the Oregon Country.
1821
The Hudson's Bay Company acquires a fur monopoly for
all of British North America after merging with the
North West Company.
1822
Dr. John Floyd urges Congress to look into settling
the "Origon" territory,
marking the first American use
of the name.
1825
John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of the Columbia District
for the Hudson's Bay Company, constructs Fort
Vancouver on the north bank of the Columbia and uses
it as his headquarters.
1827
The United States and Great Britain renew the terms of
the 1818 "joint occupancy" agreement for the Oregon
Country.
1829
Hall Jackson Kelley organizes the "American Society
for Encouraging the Settlement of the Oregon
Territory."
1830
Epidemics strike the Oregon Indians, killing thousands
along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.
1831
Three Nez Perce and one Flathead Indian travel to St.
Louis reportedly seeking knowledge of Christianity.
1832
Nathaniel Wyeth leads an American colonizing
expedition overland to the Columbia but the venture
fails.
1834
Separate expeditions, led by Wyeth and Kelley, arrive
at Fort Vancouver. Methodist
missionaries Jason and
Daniel Lee accompany Wyeth to Fort Vancouver and
establish
a mission ten miles north of present day
Salem.
1836
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and other missionaries
establish missions among the Indians. Mrs. Whitman
and the other missionary wives become the first white
women
to cross the Continental Divide. On orders from
President Andrew Jackson, Lieutenant William Slacum
arrives to report on conditions in Oregon.
1837
The Willamette Cattle Company is formed marking the
first cooperative venture among Oregon settlers.
1838
Jason Lee delivers a petition to Congress asking for
legislation securing title to lands that settlers
occupy and for the extension of the laws of the United
States over the Oregon Country. Fathers Francois
Blanchet and Modeste Demers, Catholic missionaries,
arrive in Oregon.
1840
Parties of Americans from California and Illinois, and
reinforcements to the Methodist mission, arrive in the
Willamette Valley.1822 Dr. John Floyd urges Congress to look into settling
the "Origon" territory, marking the first American use
of the name.
1841
Ewing Young's death and the need to probate his estate
prompt some American settlers to attempt to establish
a provisional government. Three meetings are held at
Champoeg but because French Canadians refuse to
participate, no government is established.
1842
John McLoughlin plats his land claim and names it
Oregon City.
1843
Settlers meet to deal with the menance of wild
animals. The "Wolf Meetings" lead to the drafting of
a constitution and the formation of Oregon's first
government.
1844
Acts to prohibit slavery and to exclude blacks and
mulattoes from Oregon are passed.
1845
The Hudson's Bay Company officially recognizes the
provisional government. The executive committee is
reorganized and changes are made to allow British
participation in the government. Two thousand
settlers now reside in the Willamette Valley.
1846
The United States and Great Britain agree to divide
the Oregon Country at the forty-ninth parallel.
Hudson's Bay Company headquarters are moved from Fort
Vancouver to Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island. John
McLoughlin resigns his position as Chief Factor and
moves to Oregon City. The Applegate Trail is
established off of the Oregon Trail. The "Oregon
Spectator" begins publication.
1847
The Whitmans and twelve others are killed by the
Cayuse Indians at the Waiilatpu Mission.
1848
The Oregon Country is made a United States territory.
1849
The territorial government convenes in Oregon City.
1850
More settlers move to the Oregon Territory and
Indian-white hostilities increase as results of the
passage of the "Donation Land Law." Congress provides
for the renegotiation of treaties with the Indians of
the territory. Gold is discovered in the Rogue River
Valley leading to the establishment of cities and
towns in Southern Oregon. Five Indians are sentenced
to hang for the "Whitman Massacre."
1853
Washington Territory is created from land north of the
Columbia River. Willamette University is chartered.
A treaty is made creating the Oregon Territory's first
Indian Reservation at Table Rock.
1854
Congress authorizes making treaties, whenever
necessary, with the Indians in the Oregon Territory.
1857
A convention is held in Salem to write a state
constitution. Voters overwhelmingly approve the
document that fall.
1859
Congress admits Oregon as the thirty-third state on
February 14.
©1998 Roxann Gess Smith
All Rights Reserved
Return to "A Place Called Oregon"