1. In 1824, the Oregon Country was jointly claimed by the United States and Great Britain. This dispute over the territory lasted until the signing of the Oregon Treaty in 1846.

2. On December 1, 1859, Oregon was admitted as the 33rd state of the United States. To celebrate, citizens of the new state held parades and lit bonfires throughout the state.

3. The Oregon Trail, a 2,170-mile historic migration route from Missouri to Oregon, played a significant role in the settlement of the state. In December 1850, the first group of pioneers arrived in Oregon City using the trail.

4. On December 1, 1973, the Oregon Health Sciences University was established. The university is now one of the leading health and biomedical research institutions in the nation.

5. December 1, 2019, marked the 15th anniversary of the Oregon Bottle Recycling Program. The program incentivizes recycling by offering a refund for every bottle or can returned to participating redemption centers. To date, the program has recycled over 90 billion containers.