1. In 1841, the first wagon train arrived in the Oregon Territory. Led by Hall J. Kelley, the party of 69 settlers traveled from Independence, Missouri and arrived in the Willamette Valley after a six-month journey. Their arrival marked the beginning of a wave of settlement that would transform the region.

2. On January 23, 1859, Oregon became the 33rd state in the Union. The state's path to statehood was a contentious one, with debates over slavery and an ongoing dispute with Great Britain over the boundary with Canada. In the end, however, Oregon became a state with a constitution that banned slavery and allowed women to vote.

3. In 1923, the highly regarded poet Robinson Jeffers and his family moved to Carmel, California, just south of the Oregon state line. Jeffers would go on to become one of the most important American poets of the 20th century, known for his stark and powerful verse about the natural world. His influence can still be felt in the Pacific Northwest literary community today.

4. On January 23, 1937, the Oregon State Hospital suffered a catastrophic fire that killed 14 patients and one staff member. The fire broke out in the women's ward and quickly spread to the main building. The tragedy led to widespread reforms in mental health care and building codes across the United States.

5. In 1971, Oregon became the first state to enact a "bottle bill" requiring a refundable deposit on certain types of beverage containers. The law was enacted in response to concerns about litter and environmental damage caused by discarded bottles and cans. Today, bottle bills are in place in several other states and countries around the world.