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8239 Champoeg Road NE, St. Paul, 503-678-1251, stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=79. 9 am–5 pm daily. $5 parking and day use fee.
In 1843, a clump of men with luxurious beards gathered along the Willamette River and decided whether Oregon should join America. It was a really close vote—52 to 50. The show of hands was held not in Portland, or even Oregon City, but in a town called Champoeg (pronounced “shampoo-y”). The town hosted the provisional government for Oregon Country until somebody figured out where else to put the capital. Then the river washed Champoeg away altogether with a flood in 1861. What’s on the spot now: campgrounds, disc golf, a scattering of log cabins, and a surprisingly detailed and interactive museum, which poses the question: If you were a French fur trapper in 1843, would you rather live under the protection of the British empire or join a nation expanding westward? After casting your vote, drive down to the riverside and stroll along the overgrown foundations. On a recent spring morning, a powerboat breezed by, blasting Toby Keith and waving a Trump flag. We’re still part of America.
Don’t miss: A gentle 4-mile hike (or six-minute drive) takes you to the Historic Butteville Store, which might be the oldest operating general store in the state. It has handcrafted ice cream and, on Saturday nights, hosts acoustic musical acts like Corral Creek Bluegrass and Lonesome Dewey & the Cowboys.
Will kids like it? They’ll have plenty of room to run.