Salem, OR

Salem is the capital of Oregon, and is nicknamed "The Cherry City" due to being a prominent site for cherry growing in the late 19th Century.

Fast Facts

1. Country: United States
2. State: Oregon
3. State capital
4. County: Marion County
5. Mayor: Janet Taylor
6. Population: 152,290 (2007)
7. Currency: U.S. Dollar
8. Founded: 1842
9. Time Zone: PST

History

Not to be confused with Salem, Massachusetts, where the infamous witch trials took place, Salem, Oregon was originally called "Chemeketa," or "resting place," by the Native Americans who first settled there.

Shortly after Methodists established the Oregon Institute in the area in the 1840s, Salem became the territorial capital of Oregon, and became the state capital in 1859.

Cherries

Around the time of becoming state capital, nurseryman Henderson Lewelling started planting fruit trees in the Salem hills, which were ideal for cherry orchards in particular. By the turn of the century, Salem became a vital location for canned cherry production.

As demand declined in the late 20th Century, many of the orchard fields gave way to construction as the city grew.

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