Is Eastern Oregon really Oregon? (live, population, climate)

[Tiggywinkle63]

I am a fifth generation Oregonian and proud of it! And I was born in Pendleton (grew up in Bend). My great-great-grandmother was one of the first white children born in LaGrande, and I think her no less of an Oregonian than the great-great-grandmother born in Linn County. Eastern Oregon is different, yes, but it is still Oregon.

If you think it is a wasteland, you haven't seen much of it, or haven't paid attention! Some of the most beautiful places on earth are in Eastern Oregon. If you think the desert is unattractive, check out the Painted Hills sometime. And there are mountains and lakes and forests a-plenty--check out the area around Baker, or the Wallowas. The rolling wheat fields of Umatilla County never fail to take my breath away. And the rugged southeast corner of the state may not be for the faint of heart, but those who venture there are well rewarded.

I think the western part of the state is more of a wasteland. I have driven that I-5 corridor more times than I care to remember, from Portland to Ashland, and all that concrete and all those cities are just mind numbing. The southern part is not quite so bad, but still just can't compete with the east for sheer natural beauty.

But if you don't like it, by all means keep to the west part of the state! We don't want the east getting all crowded anyway.

[Hawk J]

I grewup as an Army brat living in forts around our Great Country & overseas. All the states have much much Beauty & wonderful fishin' holes.........................


the Oregon eastern high desert is Very Beautiful. yuu mite even still see some wild Mustangs if'n u git lucky. I Love Nature & her critters......................................:coo l:...................................k :......................................: )

[grimcat27]

I actualy want to visit the eastern part of the state when I get up there. I want to see the lava fields out there and some other places I've seen in other posts.

[Got Country]

Thank God Eastern Oregon is not like The Willamette Valley. We have wide open spaces and you do not have to stand in line for every thing. Our roads are safer without all of those drivers stuck in traffic on crowded freeways (we consider crowded here 5 cars on the same road at the same time and a traffic jam is a tractor pulling farm equipment down the highway). Our houses are not so close you could share dinner with the neighbor through the windows. Plus we are not like Northern Nevada. We have hills, mountains, lakes and farms. All we seen in Nevada was bare nothing, rolling hills of bare nothing and long hot straight roads of bare nothing. Eastern Oregon is GODS Country with people that care and a real country way of life.

[Fiddlehead]

Even if I don't get out there often enough, I find the presence of eastern Oregon comforting. The prospect of beauty and space, close at hand. It is cool to have an "outback" (in the Australian sense), where one can see snow, thunderstorms, smell the sagebruch in a clear star-filled sky, and savor view of vast landcapes that are not all "haired over" by trees. As others have said, E. Oregon contains some of America's finest landscapes (Wallowas, Elkhorns, Malheur wetlands, Warner wetlands and Hart Mountain antelope preserve,Steens Mountain, Alvord Desert, Owyhee Canyon, Painted hills, Zumwalt Prairie, Grande Ronde Valley, etc.,etc.). Makes me want to pack the car right now!

Oregon is a state of tremendous beauty in many forms, which is exactly what makes it so great.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

IMHO, eastern Oregon is more Oregon than the caricature of Oregon the Willamette Valley represents.

[kapetrich]

What a rediculous Argument. Every part of Oregon is as equally Oregon as the next.

Both the stereotypical and nonstereotypocal parts, alike.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by The Cactus Leaguer

That being said... How are they "not equally represented nor able to acquire the same income"? Last I checked, environmental regulations apply to everyone, not just those who choose to live in rural areas. Everyone has equal representation and the ability to earn a living.

You are mistaken. Riparian setbacks from streams for logging is typically 100 feet. Riparian setbacks for streams for urban pavement is typically 25 feet. Point source pollution in rural areas is strictly forbidden, and even during massive flooding events can result in ruinous fines. Portland dumps its sewage into the Willamette every time it rains. Cities pave over their creeks and use them as storm sewers.

Whenever someone wants to protect the environment, it's always out of town. It's like the environment stops at the city limits, and cities don't have one of those things. I can't tell you how irritating it is that environmental laws are passed by city dwellers, who then proceed to exempt themselves from enforcement.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

Even if I don't get out there often enough, I find the presence of eastern Oregon comforting. The prospect of beauty and space, close at hand. It is cool to have an "outback" (in the Australian sense), where one can see snow, thunderstorms, smell the sagebruch in a clear star-filled sky, and savor view of vast landcapes that are not all "haired over" by trees. As others have said, E. Oregon contains some of America's finest landscapes (Wallowas, Elkhorns, Malheur wetlands, Warner wetlands and Hart Mountain antelope preserve,Steens Mountain, Alvord Desert, Owyhee Canyon, Painted hills, Zumwalt Prairie, Grande Ronde Valley, etc.,etc.). Makes me want to pack the car right now!

Oregon is a state of tremendous beauty in many forms, which is exactly what makes it so great.

Eastern Oregon is one of the things I'm still excited about have to opportunity to further explore in the state. I lived in Ashland for 5 years and Portland for 8 years, so I've been to much of the coast and Cascades and Siskiyous--but except for occasional trips out to the Wallowas, Pendelton, and John Day country I haven't been much to the east side of the state past Bend/Prineville or the Dalles. But everytime I've driven out that way, I've always enjoyed discovering new canyons, mountains, and old mining towns to explore. Can't wait to finally make it out to the Owyhee River one of these days. Steens Mountain as well.

I wouldn't live in Eastern Oregon at this point in my life, but it's always cool to think theres a huge expanse of land incredibly different than the wet west side just over the Cascades. Sometimes when I'm driving on I-84 to Hood River or 26 to Bend, I dream about just taking a week off and keep driving...

[PNWdrifter]

I would rather live in eastern oregon then in portland or the Willamette valley surrounded by flat ground, endless gray sky's, annoying hipsters and yuppies and traffic.