Famous Oregonians
These are just a few of the famous people who were either born in Oregon or spent some important time in Oregon.
George Abernethy, Oregon governor
Danny Ainge, basketball player
Art Alexakis, singer and songwriter
Derek Anderson, football player
Cecil Andrus, U.S. secretary of the interior
Jesse Applegate, pioneer
Garner Ted Armstrong, evangelist
John Jacob Astor, fur trader and founder of Astoria, Oregon
Ray Atkeson, photographer
Jean Auel, novelist
Terry Baker, football player
Rex Barber, fighter pilot
Sam Barlow, pioneer
James Beard, chef and food expert
Simon Benson, logger and philanthropist
Don Berry, author
Father Francis Blanchet, missionary
Sam Boardman, parks superintendent
John Boon, businessman and state treasurer
Tabitha Moffatt Brown, pioneer and mother of Oregon
Asahel Bush, banker and publisher
Chelsea Cain, novelist
Raymond Carver, poet and author
Harvey Clarke, missionary and educator
William Clark, explorer
Beverly Cleary, children's novelist
Kellen Clemens, football player
Chief Concomly, Indian leader
Thomas Condon, paleontologist and geologist
Mel Counts, basketball player
Ann Curry, television journalist
George Curry, Oregon governor
Homer Davenport, political cartoonist
H. L. Davis, author
Matthew Deady, politician and judge
Sir Francis Drake, explorer
Abigail Scott Duniway, feminist and journalist
Jack Elam, actor
Douglas Engelbart, inventor
Dick Fosbury, high jumper, inventor of the Fosbury Flop
Peter French, banker and rancher
A. C. Gilbert, toy inventor (Erector Set) and Olympic pole vaulter. Also founded the Toy Manufacturers Association of America.
Danny Glover, actor
Robert Gray, explorer
Edith Green, U.S. representative
Matt Groening, cartoonist and creator of The Simpsons TV show
Stafford Hansell, politician
Bret Harrison, actor
Mark Hatfield, U.S. senator
Earnest Haycox, western novelist
Ben Holladay, railroad builder
Nan Wood Honeyman, U.S. representative
Joni Huntley, track star
James Ivory, producer
Ken Jernstedt, Flying Tiger pilot and politician
Chief Joseph the Elder, Indian leader
Chief Joseph the Younger, Indian leader
Captain Jack Keintepoos, Indian leader
Dan Kelly, Olympic long jumper
David Kennerly, photographer
Bert Kerrigan, Olympic high jumper
Ken Kesey, author
Harmon Killebrew, baseball player
Dave Kingman, baseball player
Sam Lancaster, highway engineer
Joseph Lane, Oregon governor
Jason Lee, pioneer
Ursula LeGuin, science fiction and fantasy novelist
Seth Lewelling, nurseryman
Meriwether Lewis, explorer
Bob Lilly, football player
Barry Lopez, author
Asa Lovejoy, founder of Portland
Larry Mahan, rodeo star
Edwin Markham, poet
Charles Martin, Oregon governor
Lewis McArthur, historian and geographer
Tom McCall, Oregon governor
Conde McCullough, bridge engineer
Phyllis McGinley, novelist
John McLoughlin, explorer and father of Oregon
Charles McNary, U.S. senator
Joseph Meek, trapper and lawman
Joaquin Miller, poet and author
John Minto, author and politician
Wayne Morse, U.S. senator
William Murphy, doctor, Nobel laureate in medicine
James Nesmith, pioneer and U.S. senator
Maurine Neuberger, U.S. senator
Richard Neuberger, U.S. senator
Clare Turlay Newberry, children's book author
Kim Novak, actress
Bethenia Owens-Adair, educator and doctor
Joel Palmer, pioneer and author
Chief Paulina, Indian leader
Linus Pauling, chemist and peace advocate
Jane Powell, actress
Steve Prefontaine, runner
Ahmad Rashad, football player and sportscaster
Johnny Ray, singer
John Reed, poet and journalist
Ginger Rogers, actress and dancer
Sacagawea, Indian explorer
Don Schollander, Olympic swimmer
Pat Schroeder, politician
Les Schwab, businessman
Doc Severinsen, bandleader
Norton Simon, business executive
Forrest Smithson, Olympic hurdler
William Stafford, poet
Sally Stanford, politician
Bob Straub, Oregon governor
Sally Struthers, actress
Gus Van Sant, director
Harvy Scott, editor and publisher
Picabo Street, Olympic skier
William U'Ren, political reformer
Frances Fuller Victor, historian
Henry Villard, railroad builder
Will Vinton, animator
Lindsay Wagner, actress
Neale Donald Walsch, author
Oswald West, Oregon governor
Phillip Whalen, poet
Elijah White, pioneer and doctor
Marcus Whitman, missionary
Narcissa Whitman, missionary
Carl Wieman, physicist and Nobel laureate
Mason Williams, musician and songwriter
Sarah Winnemucca, Indian peacemaker
C. E. S. Wood, soldier, author, and attorney
Ron Wyden, U.S. senator
Notable Oregonians: http://www.sos.state. or.us/bbook/notable/nothome.htm.
Oregon Olympic medalists: http://bluebook. state.or.us/facts/almanac/almanac07.htm
