Statehood The 33rd state Feb. 14, 1859 Captial Salem State Motto The union Origin of State Name The origin of the state name may be derived from the French ouragan, meaning storm or hurricane. State Nickname The Beaver State The name refers to the large beaver population, which fueled the state's early fur trade. Interesting Facts Oregon residents own one-fourth of the country's total llama population. During the 1820s Englishman John McLoughlin presided over a vast beaver trapping network centered at Fort Vancouver near the Columbia River. The Klamath Mountains in southwestern Oregon are composed of volcanic rocks, which originally erupted under the ocean.