Salem is the capital of Oregon State, a U.S. state on the Pacific coast. The city lies within the Willamette Valley and is bisected by the Willamette River. It serves as the county seat of Marion County. Salem is within both Marion and Polk counties, with the river functioning as the boundary between counties. Salem is a mid-sized city - with roughly 154,600 inhabitants, it is the 3rd largest within Oregon State after the cities of Eugene and Portland.
The city is the main city within the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area serves over 395,000 people. The bigger city of Portland is less than one hour away.
Within a decade after its founding in 1842, the city of Salem was named the capital of the Oregon Territory, usurping Oregon City for that title. Several years later, Salem was replaced for almost a year as capital by the nearby city of Corvallis, before being restored once more to its previous status. Salem was incorporated as a city in the year 1857, making it one of Oregon's oldest communities. The area's original name was Chemeketa, a Native American word meaning "resting place" or "meeting".
The second and original capital building in the city of Salem both were destroyed by fires. One of the capital buildings was fashioned like the U.S. Capitol building and had a dome roof made of copper. The existing Oregon State Capitol building was completed in the year 1938. Its capital dome is surmounted by a gold-plated pioneer statue, referred to as the Oregon Pioneer.
Salem comprises several Educational Institutions, such as Willamette University, Corban University, Chemawa Indian School, Oregon School for the deaf and Chemeketa Community College. The largest public employer of the city is the State of Oregon. Salem Hospital is the largest private employer with practically 3,000 workers.
Salem is a main center for agricultural food processing, serving as a vital focal point for the surrounding communities. A large number of jobs are provided by the many correctional facilities in Salem. In addition to being the home of Oregon State Penitentiary, the only maximum security facility within Oregon State, the city of Salem has the headquarters of the Oregon Department of Corrections and four state correctional facilities.
Significant companies comprise the T-Mobile Calling Center, GE Security, Wells Fargo Customer Contact Center, NORPAC Foods, Inc., Sanyo and Roth's Family Market. The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde operate the Spirit Mountain Casino west of Salem City.