Eastern Oregon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eastern Oregon is a geographical term that is generally taken to mean the area of the state of Oregon east of the Cascade Range, save the region around The Dalles and sometimes Klamath County. The area around Bend is considered to be Central Oregon rather than Eastern Oregon.[citation needed] Historically, the region has been relatively isolated from Western Oregon. The first railroad connection from Portland, Oregon, crossing Eastern Oregon along the Columbia River through to the Union Pacific mainline in Granger, Wyoming, was completed in 1883,[1] and the connection from the Willamette Valley over the Cascade Mountains at Willamette Pass was completed only in 1926.[2] All-weather highways over the Cascade Mountains were not completed until the 1930s and 1940s.[3][4]
Compared to the maritime rainforest climate of Western Oregon, which is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, the climate of Eastern Oregon is a drier continental climate, with much greater seasonal variations in temperature. Unlike the Willamette Valley, Eastern Oregon gets a significant amount of snow in the winter. Some parts of Eastern Oregon get less than 10 inches of rain, and thus are considered deserts. Pine and juniper forests cover areas of Eastern Oregon, especially in the mountains east of Klamath Falls and in the Blue Mountains.
Eastern Oregon is also much more sparsely populated, on average, than Western Oregon, and has a reputation of being more politically conservative. The region's economy is primarily agricultural. Timber and mining, while formerly key industries, have decreased in importance in recent years. Historical tourism is on the rise.
Larger population centers in Eastern Oregon include Baker City, Hermiston, La Grande, and Pendleton.
The extreme eastern section of Oregon in the Snake River Valley, including the town of Ontario, is part of the Treasure Valley, which includes Boise, Idaho; unlike the rest of the state, that section is included in the Mountain Time Zone.
