Oregon Territory Information & Oregon Territory Links at HealthHaven.com

	Territory of Oregon
	Organized incorporated territory of the United States
	Seal of the Oregon Territory
Capital	Oregon City (1848-1851); Salem (1851-1855); Corvallis (1855); Salem (1855-1859)
Government	Organized incorporated territory
	Governor
- 1848-1850	Joseph Lane
- 1850-1850	Kintzing Prichette
- 1850-1853	John P. Gaines
- 1853-1854	John Wesley Davis
- 1854-1859	George Law Curry
History
- Oregon Treaty	June 14 1846
- Organized	August 14 1848
- Washington Territory split off	February 8 1853
- Statehood	February 14 1859

The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon.

[edit] History

The earliest documented discussions, leading to the formation of the Territory of Oregon, were made during a series of meetings held in an early pioneer and Native American encampment and later town known as Champoeg, Oregon. These Champoeg Meetings eventually led to further discussions and the eventual territorial organization, made in Oregon City on August 14, 1848.

Created by an act of Congress, the territory's birth followed resolution of the international Oregon boundary dispute with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Territory of Oregon originally encompassed all of the present-day states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as those parts of present day Montana and Wyoming west of the Continental Divide. It extended from the 42nd parallel north (the boundary of the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819), in the south to the 49th parallel .

The first territorial capital was Oregon City from 1848 to 1851, followed by Salem from 1851 to 1855. Corvallis served briefly as the capital in 1855, followed by a permanent return to Salem later that year.

In 1853, the portion of the territory north of the lower Columbia River and north of the 46th parallel east of the river was organized into the Washington Territory.

On February 14, 1859, the territory entered the Union as the U.S. state of Oregon within its current boundaries. The remaining eastern portion of the territory (the portions in present-day southern Idaho and western Wyoming) was added to the Washington Territory.

Further information about the state's early history, prior to 1848, is available at the Oregon Country page and the Provisional Government of Oregon page.