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Welcome to Salem, OR

Salem, the state capital city and the county seat of Marion County, is located in a quiet, 45 square miles area within  the beautiful Willamette Valley, one of the most fertile and agriculturally productive regions of the world, a 100 mile long lowland in Northwestern Oregon at the intersection of Interstate 5 and Oregon Hwy. 22. The Cascade Mountain Range  with mountains, an abundance of rivers and lakes lies to the east, Eugene is 64 miles to the South, the Oregon Coast is 60 miles to the west and the state's largest city, Portland,  is 50 miles to the north. The Willamette River, one of the few that flows from south to north, winds through the Salem area forming the boundary between Marion and Polk counties. A small portion of the City of Salem within its corporate limits lies across the Willamette River in Polk County, not officially however, this part of the city is referred to as West Salem. Salem elevation is 171 feet above sea level. Salem is Oregon's third largest with a population of approximately 135,000.

Because of its close proximity to Portland, its outstanding outdoor recreation, and the abundance of high technology industries, hundreds of families relocate to Salem to start new lives, a new job, Buy a home and to improve their quality of life. Homeowners in the Salem area enjoy its family-friendly ambiance and easy commute to the Portland metropolitan area. The Citizen's Forum of Self-Government/National Municipal League named Salem , the capital city of the state of Oregon, an All-America City More than once.

Salem is the third largest city in Oregon and one of Oregon's oldest communities. Salem’s leaders in business and industry are actively work to maintain the city’s livability and heart by supporting local charitable institutions and by supporting the city’s non-profit arts, cultural and historic organizations. The business community also takes an active role in local government through task force groups and committees representing all areas of the city to ensure that Salem’s high livability factor is maintained. Most redevelopment projects are supported by countless volunteers who cooperate with and complement city staff. State government is Salem's largest employer, with approximately 13,000 full-time employees, 38 of the largest state agencies and more than 20 smaller ones located in the immediate area. Salem is also a major agricultural food processing center.

Climate & Weather

The climate for Salem is mild. Salem's average annual snowfall is 6.45 inches. Salem average annual rainfall is 42 inches per year. The average low temperature is 40.9 degrees F and the average high temperature is 63.1 degrees F.

Salem History

The Calapooya Indian name for the area was "Chemeketa" which means "meeting or resting place." The Wiiamette River's name comes from the word "Wal-lamt," which was an Indian word. The meaning of Willamette is not known, but there are several theories, including Mackey who says "Wallamet" means "spillwater" and was applied to the river above the falls. Broughton discovered the River on October 29, 1792 and named it the River Mannings, possibly for Boatswain Mate Samuel Manning, a member of VanCouver's expedition...Clark called the river, The Multnomah."

In 1840, the Jason Lee Mission was moved from the Willamette River upstream to a site on Mill Creek. Then in 1842, the missionaries established the Oregon Institute.

A townsite was laid out on the Institute lands when the mission was dissolved in 1844,

 It is unclear who actually decided on a name for the town but it is believed to have been either David Leslie, who came to Oregon from Salem, Mass., or W.H. Willson who filed plats in 1850-51 for what is now the main part of the city. Both men were active in the establishment of the town. The name, "Salem" is the American form of the Hebrew word, Shalom, which means peace.

Salem hasn't always been the capital of the state of Oregon as it is now. The location of the Oregon capital caused a spirited contest that lasted nearly 15 years. Back in 1851, the capital was located in Oregon City and moved to Salem by  the provisional government's an act of 1851, in 1855 it was moved to Corvallis, only to be moved back to Salem the same year. Destruction of the Capitol at Salem on December 31, 1855, was considered an incendiary part of this controversy.

The close proximity of government provides Salem citizens with a distinct opportunity to be involved in the decision-making processes of the state. The citizens of Salem also have a long history of commitment to community improvement and volunteerism...a commitment recognized nationally through presentation of two All-America City Awards, one for 1960-61 and more recently for 1982-83.

The Capitol building was damaged by an earthquake on March 25, 1993. It has been in the process of reconstruction and renovation for years since that time. Most original murals will be reinstalled when the project is complete, preserving them for generations to come. Managed growth in the city of Salem is ensured by ongoing preservation of the historic downtown buildings, and a downtown core master plan for residential and commercial development.

The settling of Salem: 1840
The founding of Salem: 1850
The incorporation date of Salem: 1857

SOURCES:

1997-1998 Oregon Blue Book

Oregon Geographic Names by Lewis L. McArthur, fifth edition, 1982

Early Salem history from Oregon Geographic Names, by Lewis A. McArthur.

Salem Community

Salem Lifestyle

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Salem Climate

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Salem History

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AGENTNAME

REAL ESTATE COMPANY
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Welcome to Salem! If you are looking for Oregon listings, home buying, homes and condos and townhomes, newer or older residential homes for sale in Salem, or other surrounding areas in Marion County, Oregon, AGENTNAME can help you out. AGENTNAME is a top, expert agent and realtor specializing in buying or selling newer or older homes, fine, luxury, expensive, million dollar, bank repo, foreclosure properties with lake, coastal or mountain views or city light views, in providing any home buying needs or assistance to search, find and buy, purchase your dream home for sale, house for sale in surrounding cities with or without views. If you are thinking of buying or selling your home, contact AGENTNAME and you will be provided with any available information or assistance. All contents on this and related web sites are provided by AGENTNAME, Realtor specializing in Salem real estate and in the surrounding areas. AGENTNAME will respond to your request for information as soon as possible.  Thank you!
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