In the modern era, Oregon blazed trails in the thicket of governmental legislation and reform. The so-called Oregon system of initiative, referendum, and recall was first conceived in the 1890s, coming to fruition in the first decade of the 1900s. The system has since become an integral part of the democratic process.

In like measure, Oregon’s extension of suffrage to women in 1912, a 1921 compulsory education law, and the first large-scale union activity in the country during the 1920s were red-letter events in American history.

The 1930s were exciting years in the Northwest. Despite widespread poverty, the foundations of future prosperity were laid during this decade. New Deal programs such as the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps undertook many projects around the state. Building roads and hydroelectric dams created jobs and improved the quality of life in Oregon, in addition to bolstering the country’s defenses during wartime. Hydroelectric power from the Bonneville Dam, completed in 1938, enabled Portland’s shipyards and aluminum plants to thrive. Low utility rates encouraged more employment and settlement, while the Columbia’s irrigation water enhanced agriculture.