13 Quirky Facts About Oregon That Sound Fake but Are 100% True

Oregon is weird, but that's why we love it so much. Our state is unique and special and quirky in so many incredible ways. When raving to your out-of-state friends about the Beaver State, it's always wise to be prepared with a bunch of fun facts.

The following quirky facts about Oregon are sure to catch anyone's interest—even if they do sound made-up at first. Read on to check out a few fun facts about Oregon that are completely accurate.

1. We Own a Quarter of the Nation's Llamas

Oregonians love llamas. It may be hard to believe, but 25 percent of the nation's llamas live in our state. Clackamas County has the most, followed by Washington, Yamhill, and Marion counties. Many of these llamas live on free-range farms for their fur, but they're also kept as pets and even for llama petting farms. Some of the best experiences include llama walks at the Frog Pond Farm and Hidden Oaks Llama Ranch.

2. The Simpsons Town Is Based On Springfield, Oregon

Many people think that the town of Springfield in TV series, The Simpsons, is based on another place, but the show's creator, Matt Groening, said himself that Springfield, Oregon, was his inspiration. The real town is located in Willamette Valley—wine country—and is filled with bustling shopping districts, historic and family-friendly attractions, and towns of beautiful parks.

3. Portland Was Almost Named Boston

The area where Portland sits was first settled by Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine, and Asa Lovejoy of Boston, Massachusetts. They couldn't agree on what to name the place, so they flipped a coin. Obviously, Pettigrove won. But it was almost named Boston!

4. We Once Used Dynamite To Blow Up a Deceased Beached Whale

Let's just say, this experiment, which happened in Florence in 1970, did not end well. No one was hurt, but a bunch of rotting whale pieces were scattered on the shore. (Not ideal.) Now, there is a commemorative park in Florence with a sign to contemplate this bizarre, yet historic, happenstance.

5. The State Is Home to the World's Largest Fungus

Honey mushrooms, aka Armillaria ostoyae, aren't rare, but they don't usually grow to gigantic proportions. But there's one exception to this rule: the honey fungus at the Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon. It covers 2300 acres, is mostly underground, and it's humongous. (It's the largest living thing in the whole world.) So, if you're looking for cool things about Oregon to tell your friends, this one is funky-fresh.

6. We Have Underground Tunnels Beneath Portland

Not only are there tunnels, but you can tour Portland's Shanghai Tunnels. These tunnels connect many of the bars and businesses downtown. Rumor has it that they were used to kidnap drunken bar patrons to put them to work as forced labor on ships during Portland's importing and exporting heyday. Talk about a creepy state fact.

7. We Have More Ghost Towns Than Any Other State

When you think of ghost towns, you probably first think of Arizona, Colorado, or even California, but Oregon has more ghost towns than any of those states—200, to be exact. Southern, central, and eastern Oregon are full of them, and many are fairly well preserved. Some notables are Golden and Buncom Ghost Towns in southern, Oregon.

8. We Have Perhaps the Most Unique State Flag

The Oregon state flag is the only one in the country that has an image on both sides. One side has the image you see here, and the other side has a beaver on it, the official state animal. This design was adopted in 1925, and has been waving proudly across the state since.

9. We Have the Deepest Lake in the Country

Crater Lake in Oregon is the deepest lake in the U.S., measuring at 1,949 feet-deep. The second-deepest lake, Lake Tahoe, isn't even close, at 1,645 feet. The reason for this impressive depth? It's in the name. The body of water is in the crater of a dormant stratovolcano, which erupted more than 7,700 years ago.

10. The Smallest Park in the World Is Here, Too

Oregon is also home to the world's smallest park. Mill Ends Park in Portland is a circle that is only two feet across, and it has a total area of 452 square inches. It's in the Guinness Book of World Records if you need to prove it to someone.

11. Eugene Was the First City To Institute One-Way Streets

Although the first one-way streets in the world were in Paris in 1909, the first one-way streets in the U.S. were in Eugene, Oregon, in 1941. Specifically, 6th Avenue was the first street in Eugene and in the nation to be made one-way. Sure, it's confusing for visitors, but it makes sense to locals.

12. More Mammalian Fossils Have Been Found Here Than Anywhere in the World

Turns out, one particular spot in Oregon has more mammalian fossils than almost anywhere else on the globe. It's John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, which showcases the world's best and most continuous records of the past 66 million years. The fossils found in this area helped scientists understand the evolution of horses, felines, dogs, and other mammal species.

13. We Host the Biggest Naked Bike Ride Ever - Every Year

The World Naked Bike Ride began in Spain in 2001, but now it happens every year all over the world. Portland always has the most participants, though—usually around 10,000 cyclists come out to ride every June.

What did you think about these fun facts about Oregon? Were there any that you didn't already know? Discover more of the wild, weird, and wonderful parts of the Beaver State by planning a trip—and use Only In Your State's itinerary planner to guide your days.