Portal:Oregon/Selected article/24

Eugene is the county seat of Lane County, Oregon. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about 60 miles (97 km) east of the Oregon Coast. According to the official 2007 population figures Eugene is the second-largest city in Oregon, with an estimated population of 153,690, and the third-largest metropolitan population. Eugene was long the state's second-largest city after Portland, but was overtaken by Salem in terms of population from around 2004 to 2006. Eugene is named after its founder, Eugene Franklin Skinner, who in 1846 erected the first cabin in the area. The first post office was registered on January 8, 1850 and the city was incorporated in 1862. Eugene is home to the University of Oregon's main campus, which is downtown. The city is also noted for its natural beauty, activist political leanings, alternative lifestyles, recreation opportunities (especially bicycling, rafting, and kayaking), and arts focus. Eugene's motto is "The World's Greatest City of the Arts and Outdoors." In addition to the university-owned cultural facilities, the city is home to the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. It is also referred to as "The Emerald Empire," "The Emerald City," "The People's Republic of Eugene," and "Track Town, USA" or "The Track Capital of the World." The Nike corporation had its beginnings in UO's track program. Eugene's largest industries are wood products manufacturing and recreational vehicle manufacturing, and the city is home to the corporate headquarters of employee-owned Bi-Mart.