It only makes sense that in the state who’s biggest city lives by the motto Keep Portland Weird the people would have their own unique quirks that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. These include how we dress, the words we use for common foods, and why every garage in Oregon has a bin full of cans and bottles.
If you’ve spent any time in the state I’m sure you’ve noticed a few of these oddities and now you can find out where they came from and why they are so endearing to all Oregonians.
So let’s take a journey through the state and look back at some of the state’s moments that have lived on in infamy in the hearts and minds of the residents of this great state.
Never Use An Umbrella
This is a point of pride for many Oregonians, especially ones who live in the western parts of the state. When it rains as much as it does in Western Oregon you get to a point where you just have to embrace it even though it means always dressing like you’re ready to head out on a hike at a moments notice.
So if you want to live like an Oregonian then pull out your gore-tex gear, leave the umbrella at the hotel, and embrace the drizzle that is so ever present in this lush section of the state.
Say They Are Heading to the Coast, Not the Beach
If you live in Oregon and say you’re headed to the beach the follow up question will generally be to ask which warm weather state or country are you headed to. But if you say you’re headed to the coast then everyone immediately knows you’re headed out to Oregon’s gorgeous stretches of coastline to take in the sights and sounds of the ocean.
While Oregon does have plenty of incredible beaches along the coast the weather generally is not beach weather. So a trip to the coast may include some beach time but since there is so much else to do it certainly isn’t a requirement to having a good time.
Save Their Cans and Bottles
In 1971 Oregon was the first state to sign a bottle and can deposit law to the books although other states have since followed. This means that when you purchase a bottle or can from the store in Oregon you are charged a 10 cent fee. Upon returning the bottles or cans to a bottle drop you’ll receive the money back.
Because of this most Oregonians will save up bins of their bottles and cans in their garage or outside their home. Once the bins are completely overflowing they’ll pack everything into their car and drive them to the bottle drop to get all of that redemption money back.
Celebrate Exploding Whale Day
Back in the fall of 1970 a large deceased whale washed up on the shores of Florence, Oregon. As time passed and the whale began to decompose the town came up with the idea to dispose of it by blowing it up with dynamite with the thought that it would break up the whale which would speed up the decomposition process.
Unfortunately things did not go to plan. The explosion resulted in onlookers, cars, and the town itself getting covered in pieces of blubber and a fine mist that townsfolk described as having a smell they would never forget.
Nowadays the date of that fateful event, November 12th, is memorialized in Oregon as Exploding Whale Day.
Always Wait for Someone to Pump Their Gas
Up until last year Oregon was one of only two states where drivers could not pump their own gas. This meant that at any gas station in the state you could pull up to the pump and just wait in your car while an attendant handled everything for you.
Unfortunately for those who enjoyed staying in the comfort of their car that law has since been repealed. Although many gas stations in the state still offer a full-service option so on those cold and rainy days you can still stay dry and warm while filling up during the morning commute.
Still Use the World Filbert
Filbert. Rapeseed Oil. Patagonian Toothfish. These were the original names for items that have since been given more marketable titles such as the hazelnut, canola oil, and Chilean sea bass.
Yet in Oregon, which just so happens to be the largest producers of hazelnuts in the nation, the filbert name has lived on while the rest of the nation has fully adopted hazelnut.
Is this because the first cultivated filberts were planted in Oregon and residents want to hold on to this piece of history or are we all just stubborn and want to be unique. No one may ever know.
Never Go To Voodoo…Unless Its After 2am
Read almost any guide to Portland and you’re bound to run into the suggestion to go and wait in line at VooDoo for some of their wacky donuts. And wait in line you will as at almost any time of day or night you’ll see the line wrapped around the block for the chance to pick up the ubiquitous pink box of donuts.
But the locals know that there are far superior options in the state and would never be caught there. The only exceptions are if it’s after closing time and you are within walking distance. Then it’s fair game.
Wait in the Rain for An Hour for Brunch
Brunch in Oregon is a big deal. With so many world class chefs and incredible restaurants willing to open up early and feed hungry locals on the weekends it’s no surprise that brunch culture is a very real thing in the state.
That popularity means that, for those who aren’t willing to show up to their favorite brunch spot right when they open, there will probably be a line. And if you’re hitting up a really popular spot it will probably be a long line. And in Oregon standing in line means standing in the rain 8 months out of the year.
But Oregonians are a hearty bunch and are willing to accept these downsides for the chance to dig into a brunch of chicken and waffles on a Sunday morning.
Eat at Food Carts…A Lot
Oregon is generally considered the birthplace of the modern food cart movement. With over 600 food carts in Portland alone and food cart pods located all over the city it is one of the easiest, and more affordable, ways to enjoy delicious food without the formality and waiting required at a sit-down restaurant.
The boom of food carts started in Portland in the mid-2000s when chefs realized they could open a food cart and try out new ideas for far less money than opening a brick and mortar restaurant. It didn’t take long for locals to embrace these new dining options and the number of carts in the city quickly exploded. Today food carts are ubiquitous all over the state and the preferred dining option for many.
Proudly Choose the Weird Ice Cream Flavors
One of Oregon’s most famous local companies in the food space is Salt & Straw. This ice cream company first opened up as a (you guessed it) food cart in Portland and quickly found a niche by focusing on local flavors and wacky ingredients that wouldn’t normally find their way into this frozen treat.
The risk they took by thinking outside the box quickly catapulted them to national fame and some impressive expansion within and beyond Oregon’s borders.
These days almost every Oregonian can tell you what weird flavors they have tried at Salt and Straw. These ingredients and flavors have included blue cheese, bone marrow, olive oil, skittles, crickets, thanksgiving stuffing, turkey, and even bbq baked beans.
Hike Year Round. No Matter the Weather
When you live in a state as beautiful as Oregon sometimes you just have to get outside no matter the weather. And to be honest the whole it rains all the time thing is a little overblown. Sure it may be overcast and drizzly a lot but in general, with some proper gear, you can get outside year round and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.
So that’s what Oregonians do. Whether it is hiking to a waterfall in a spring shower, snowshoeing on Mt. Hood during a snowstorm, or trekking along the Oregon coast to go wave watching during a storm there is no weather that is too bad (unless we’re talking ice) that will deter Oregonians from heading outside.
