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Oregon’s capital city, Salem, is nestled within the incomparably beautiful Willamette Valley. This Eden-like region is filled with diverse venues and attractions that appeal to a wide range of travel interests. The city and its surrounding area hold undeniable appeal. Fodors ranked the region as the “Top Romantic Spot” among its Choice Destinations Awards for 2002.
Within Salem and its environs, groups will discover many attractions that can be bundled together or visited separately to create a memorable trip. From shopping to wine and garden tours to gaming to outdoor pursuits, there’s something for everyone.
Founded in 1841, Salem is one of the West’s oldest cities. Jason Lee, a Methodist missionary, was Salem’s first pioneer settler and founded Willamette University in 1842. Willamette’s tree-lined campus is situated at the edge of downtown and across the street from the State Capitol building. Students, area residents and visitors enjoy the university’s Hallie Ford Museum of Art, as well as its sporting events, cultural offerings and gardens that are located among the campus’ historic buildings.
Impressive state government buildings border the city’s historic downtown business area. Built in 1938, the Oregon State Capitol Building houses Oregon’s Legislature as well as the offices of the governor, secretary of state and state treasurer. Adorned with Depression Era art and highlighted by four types of marble, this example of Modern Greek architecture is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visitors to the Capitol will find art exhibits as well as displays of historic interest. The building’s soaring rotunda is filled with murals that depict historical events from the state’s history—including the Lewis & Clark Expedition and Oregon Trail Pioneers—as well as a celebration of the region’s physical beauty and agricultural abundance. When the legislature is in session, state government at work can be viewed from the visitors’ galleries in the House and Senate Chambers.
Just a few blocks from Willamette University and the State Capitol are the Mission Mill Museum and the Marion County Historical Society Museum. Exhibits at the Historical Society include “Doorways to Marion County History,” a chronological overview of the history of Marion County that highlights various historic sites around the county, and “Voices of the Past: How Marion County History is Communicated” that explores the various ways history is preserved through archival records, artifacts and cultural activities. The Mission Mill Museum complex contains beautiful grounds, a millstream and 14 historic structures that visitors can explore at their own leisure through guided or self-guided tours.
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