Oregon, My Oregon

"Oregon, My Oregon" is the state song of Oregon, United States. Written for a song contest in 1920, the 16-line, 2-verse song became the state's official song in 1927.

History

In 1920, the Society of Oregon Composers held a competition to select a state song for Oregon. The winning entry, "Oregon, My Oregon," was a collaboration between John Andrew Buchanan, who wrote the lyrics, and Henry Bernard Murtagh, who composed the music. Buchanan was an amateur lyricist who was an Astoria state judge, while Murtagh was a professional musician with a Broadway credit, but who was best known as a professionally-trained theatre organist on the West Coast during the silent movie era.

Following the song's selection, the Society promoted the song by conducting performances at public gathering spaces around the state and at schools and universities (the state Superintendent of Public Instruction had endorsed the song).

On February 12, 1927, the song was officially adopted as the state song by a joint resolution of the Oregon State Legislature.

Description

Buchanan's lyrics contain two main themes: honoring the early settlers...
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