Oregon Country, Administrative territory in Pacific Northwest, United States and Canada
Oregon Country was an administrative territory in the Pacific Northwest that stretched from the ocean shore to the mountain ranges and covered parts of present-day Canada and the United States. This vast zone sat between the 42nd and 54th parallels and included coastal plains, forested valleys, and highland plateaus.
Britain and the United States administered the region jointly from 1818 until the Oregon Treaty of 1846 set the 49th parallel as the dividing line. This partition ended shared control and distributed the land between the two nations.
Indigenous peoples developed trade networks across the region, using Chinook jargon as a common language between different tribes and European settlers.
The area featured major river systems, including the Columbia and its tributaries, that served as transport routes and supported commerce across the northwest region. Along the coast and through the valleys, these waterways provided the main connections for travelers and goods.
Fort Vancouver, founded in 1824, served as the main Hudson's Bay Company base and operated as the primary supply center for traders across the region. Here, the paths of fur traders, native tribes, and settlers crossed as they relied on equipment and provisions.
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