Oregon became a U.S. Territory in 1848. Oregon's territorial governor was George Abernathy appointed by the President. Transportation and communication were slow so at times a departing governor left office before the new governor could arrive to assume office. In the interum, local individuals acted as territorial governor until a new governor arrived to take office.

Picture	Governor	Took office	Left office	Appointed by	Notes
	Joseph Lane	March 3, 1849	June 18, 1850	James Polk
Seeking image	Kintzing Prichette	June 18, 1850	August 18, 1850	Acting Governor
	John P. Gaines	August 18, 1850	May 16, 1853	Zachary Taylor
	Joseph Lane	May 16, 1853	May 19, 1853	Acting Governor
	George Law Curry	May 19, 1853	Dec. 2, 1853	Acting Governor
	John W. Davis	December 2, 1853	August 1, 1854	Franklin Pierce
	George Law Curry	August 1, 1854	March 3, 1859	Franklin Pierce

Governors of the State of Oregon

#	Picture		Governor	Took office	Left office	Party	Terms
1			John Whiteaker	March 3, 1859	September 10, 1862	Democratic	1
2			A. C. Gibbs	September 10, 1862	September 12, 1866	Republican	1
3			George L. Woods	September 12, 1866	September 14, 1870	Republican	1
4			La Fayette Grover	September 14, 1870	February 1, 1877	Democratic	1 1/2
5			Stephen F. Chadwick	February 1, 1877	September 11, 1878	Democratic	1/2
6			W. W. Thayer	September 11, 1878	September 13, 1882	Democratic	1
7			Z. F. Moody	September 13, 1882	January 12, 1887	Republican	1
8			Sylvester Pennoyer	January 12, 1887	January 14, 1895	Democratic	2
9			William Paine Lord	January 14, 1895	January 9, 1899	Republican	1
10			T. T. Geer	January 9, 1899	January 15, 1903	Republican	1
11			George Chamberlain	January 15, 1903	March 1, 1909	Democratic	1 1/3
12			Frank W. Benson	March 1, 1909	June 17, 1910	Republican	1/3
13			Jay Bowerman	June 17, 1910	January 11, 1911	Republican	1/3
14			Oswald West	January 11, 1911	January 12, 1915	Democratic	1
15			James Withycombe	January 12, 1915	March 3, 1919	Republican	1 1/2
16			Ben W. Olcott	March 3, 1919	January 8, 1923	Republican	1/2
17			Walter M. Pierce	January 8, 1923	January 10, 1927	Democratic	1
18			I. L. Patterson	January 10, 1927	December 22, 1929	Republican	1/2
19			A. W. Norblad	December 22, 1929	January 12, 1931	Republican	1/2
20			Julius L. Meier	January 12, 1931	January 14, 1935	Independent	1
21			Charles H. Martin	January 14, 1935	January 9, 1939	Democratic	1
22			Charles A. Sprague	January 9, 1939	January 11, 1943	Republican	1
23			Earl Snell	January 11, 1943	October 30, 1947	Republican	1 1/3 [note 4]
24			John H. Hall	October 30, 1947	January 10, 1949	Republican	1/3
25			Douglas McKay	January 10, 1949	December 17, 1952	Republican	1/3 + 1/2 [note 5]
26			Paul L. Patterson	December 27, 1952	February 1, 1956	Republican	1/2 + 1/3 [note 4]
27			Elmo Smith	February 1, 1956	January 14, 1957	Republican	1/3
28			Robert D. Holmes	January 14, 1957	January 12, 1959	Democratic	1/3
29			Mark Hatfield	January 12, 1959	January 9, 1967	Republican	2
30			Tom McCall	January 9, 1967	January 13, 1975	Republican	2
31			Robert W. Straub	January 13, 1975	January 8, 1979	Democratic	1
32			Victor G. Atiyeh	January 8, 1979	January 12, 1987	Republican	2
33			Neil Goldschmidt	January 12, 1987	January 14, 1991	Democratic	1
34			Barbara Roberts	January 14, 1991	January 9, 1995	Democratic	1
35			John Kitzhaber	January 9, 1995	January 13, 2003	Democratic	2
36			Ted Kulongoski	January 13, 2003	Incumbent	Democratic	2
37			John Kitzhaber	January 10, 2011	Elect	Democratic	1