The 2170 mile Oregon Trail connected various towns along a 150 mile long valley, forms the cultural and political heart of Oregon, and is home to three of Oregon's largest cities, including which city that is the state capital?
Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( ) is a 150 mi long valley in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley, and it is surrounded by mountains on three sides – the Cascade Range to the east, the Oregon Coast Range to the west, and the Calapooya Mountains to the south. It forms the cultural and political heart of Oregon, and is home to approximately 70 percent of its population including its three largest cities: Portland, Eugene and Salem, the state capital.
Oregon's congressional districts The U.S. state of Oregon has had five United States congressional districts since 1982, when the Fifth District was added. Boundaries were redrawn following the population changes to each district as determined by the 1990, 2000, and 2010 Censuses. Although early projections suggested that Oregon might gain a sixth congressional district as a result of the 2010 Census, the state's population was about 42,000 people short of gaining a new district.