What is the capital of Oregon?

The capital of Oregon is Salem.

Salem sits in the Willamette Valley on the Willamette River and serves as the seat of Marion County. It was founded in 1842 around the Oregon Institute, an educational community that became the forerunner of Willamette University. The city was incorporated in 1857.

Salem became the territorial capital in 1851 after the seat moved from Oregon City. The capital briefly shifted to Corvallis in 1855, but returned to Salem later that year. When Oregon entered the Union in 1859, Salem became the state capital.

Portland is Oregon’s largest and best-known city, which makes it a common quiz mistake, while Eugene is the state’s third-largest city. Salem is also nicknamed the “Cherry City,” reflecting its historic cherry-growing industry. Its Oregon State Capitol has been rebuilt twice after fires, with the current building completed in 1938.