February 14th: Happy Birthday Oregon!

Today is Oregon’s birthday and the Oregon Historical Society and Portland State University have teamed up to bring you the Oregon Encyclopedia as a gift.

From the Oregon Blue Book:

“… For months the fate of Oregon statehood floated on shifting political coalitions distrustful of changing the fragile balance of power in Congress. It was known Oregon would be a free state, yet its newly elected senators–Joseph Lane and Delazon Smith–were proslavery Democrats. Finally Congress acted and on February 14, 1859, President Buchanan signed the bill. Oregon joined the federal union.”

And, here’s a story on the Oregon Encyclopedia from the 2/14/08 Oregonian, “Call it Oregon-Pedia”