In what was first called Oregon Country, traders, explorers, and settlers  formed
an autonomous government in 1843.The Oregon Territory was created in 1848,
and Oregon became the 33rd state of the union in 1859.

                      
                       The Oregon quarter

The Oregon Spectator, was a newspaper published from 1846 to 1855 in Oregon
City of what was first the Oregon Country and later the Oregon Territory of the
United States. The Spectator was the first American newspaper to be published
west of the Rocky Mountains and was the main paper of the region used by
politicians for public debate on the current topics of the day. As result of
financial problems, the paper ceased publication in 1855.

 
                                 Front page of the paper from April 30, 1846