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The Capital
of Salem
Welcome to Salem, the
capital of the state of Oregon and county seat of Marion County. It
lies in the center of the fertile Willamette Valley, one of the most
productive agricultural regions in the world.
"Salem" is derived from the Hebrew word "Shalom", which means peace.
This a big city,
with a small town feel
and attitude. There are about 138,000 residents and is the 3rd
largest city in Oregon. |
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The Capital building is the 3rd one in Salem. The first
two burned down. The current building dates to the 1930's. It is a
striking capital building that is a favorite destination for
visitors. Even though it was built in 1938, it has a modern look and
feel. It is constructed mainly of Vermont marble, with a cylindrical
tower topped by a burly gold-plated pioneer. Large marble sculptures
are on each side of the main entrance - Covered Wagons on one side
and Lewis and Clark by Sacagawea on the other. On the backs of the
statues are maps of the route of Lewis and Clark, and the Oregon
Trail. Inside the rotunda in the marble halls are paintings, murals
and sculptures depicting important events in Oregon's history. There
are guided tours for those who wish to learn more about the capital
and Oregon.
Salem is also known as the Cherry City. One must visit Salem
in late March when all the Cherry Trees are in full bloom!
The city's focus is primarily governmental, but it serves as a hub
for the farming communities and is one of the largest centers of
food processing in the nation. It lies along the I-5 corridor and is
within an hour's drive of Portland. In a bid to diversify its
economic base, Salem attracted a number of computer-related
manufacturing plants in the 1990s. In November, 2003, the Sumitomo
Mitsubishi Silicon Group, one of these arrivals, announced that they
will close their two silicon wafer plants at the end of 2004,
eliminating 620 jobs, and moving the production to other plants.
The Pioneer Man stands proudly on top of the capital building
as seen below.
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Oregon's original
capital was Oregon City. The capital was moved to Salem
in 1851, then to Corvallis in 1855, and then finally
back to Salem later in 1855.
History
The Native American name for the area was Chemeketa,
which means "meeting or resting place." The first white
settlement in the area was the Jason Lee Mission in
1840. The missionaries established the Oregon Institute
in 1842 in the area that was to become the first
townsite of Salem. In 1844 the mission was dissolved and
the townsite established. It is uncertain who chose the
name for the town, but it is believed to be one of two
people: Trustee David Leslie from Salem, Massachusetts,
or W. H. Willson who in 1850-1851 filed the plans for
the main part of the city. The name "Chemeketa" is
preserved as the name of the local community college,
Chemeketa Community College.
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Other Attractions in the Salem area is the
Mission Mill Village. This is reconstructed woolen mill
that has been turned into a living history museum. Tours
are led by guides in period costumes. The park, which
covers 5 acres, has several historic pioneer houses, a
woolen mill built in 1896, a water powered turbine that
converts fleece into wool fabric, a machine shop, and
the Marion County Museum of History, as well as village
shops, and a cafe. Those who wish to take a picnic lunch
can enjoy eating on the banks of the mill stream.
Bush's Pasture Park in downtown Salem is one of
Salem's finest parks. In the park is the Bush House
Museum, an Italianate Victorian house completed in 1878.
The house contains many original furnishings, Italian
marble fireplaces and a beautiful walnut and mahogany
staircase. House tours are available. The Bush Barn Art
Center is also in the park. The art center has two
galleries featuring works of local artists, including
paintings, prints, ceramics, woodworks, basketry,
jewelry and cards. Don't forget to take a stroll through
the Bush Conservatory greenhouse and rose gardens.
Hiking around and behind the ten waterfalls at
Silver Creek Canyon in Silver Falls State Park is a good
day trip. The lush greenery and the silvery cataracts of
the falls are an incomparable sight, and a good place to
picnic on a hot day.
Visit Cooley's Gardens or Schreiner's Iris
Gardens to see the spectacular sight of acres and
acres of irises blooming in the spring. This is a
favorite destination for visitors in May.
The easy pace of the city makes Salem a place to come
and relax. The variety of things to do will make it a
favorite destination for the whole family. |
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Located along Interstate 5, between
Portland and Eugene. Phone: 503-378-4423 Salem OR. 97301 |
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Nearby Lodging - Salem, Albany, Woodburn, Corvallis Oregon
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Copyright
Oregon Reservations
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