Salem, Oregon Salem, Oregon Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood of West Salem is in Polk County. Salem was founded in 1842, became the capital of the Oregon Territory in 1851, and was incorporated in 1857. Salem had a population of 154,637 at the 2010 census, making it the third largest city in the state after Portland
Oregon State Beavers Oregon State Beavers The Oregon State Beavers are the athletic teams that represent Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for college football) level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver. Both the men's and women's teams share the name, competing in 7 NCAA Division I men's sports and 10 NCAA Division I women's sports respectively. The primary rivals of the Beavers are the Oregon Ducks of the University of Oregon, located south of the Oregon State campus