There's a reason we live here. Many in fact. Our state is not only rich in nature — coastal dunes, thick, evergreen forests, ancient rock and painted hills — but intellect, innovation and optimism.

Why it matters: It's innately human to sometimes focus on the bad, the sensational, the overwhelming. So to celebrate Oregon's 166th birthday, we decided to look ahead at all the best that's yet to come.

Here's why we (and several other Oregonians who talked to Axios) have faith in our state.

🗳️ Oregon's largest city elected a political outsider with a vision to curb the growing homelessness crisis — proving that Portlanders haven't given up hope on solving big issues (even though the mayor didn't respond to our requests to participate in this story).

🔬 Our leading research institutions are driving groundbreaking advancements in medicine, from developing a universal flu vaccine and creating the first artificial heart valve to expanding addiction medicine training and more.

• "The innovations we make today are already shaping the next 166 years of Oregon's story," Steve Stadum, the interim president of Oregon Health & Science University, said.

🥕 The commitment on behalf of our farms, restaurants and chefs to use hyper-seasonal ingredients in inventive ways, while also bolstering the DIY food scene we're known for, put Oregon on the global culinary map.

• "You can have three of the best meals of your life every day here," according to Bill Oakley, food enthusiast and former head writer of "The Simpsons."

🎨 Anti-establishment creativity still runs thick in our veins — from the novels and poems we write about the present, to the art and music we make about what we hope to see in the future.

• "We didn't come all this way to surrender our art, heart, voices and bodies to brutality," Lidia Yuknavitch, author of "Reading the Waves," said. "We are imperfect and working on it. But we are not surrendering."

It's also the people

Looking back is encouraged at a new architectural exhibition in downtown Portland, but it's not the sole focus.

State of play: "City of Possibility" explores Portland's legacy of urban planning and design by showcasing what's in the pipeline alongside historical projects.

• Yes, but: Intentional collaborations like the 1972 Downtown Plan, an effort between the government, businesses and developers, has since "fallen by the wayside," Randy Gragg, the event's co-director, told Axios.
• The American Institute of Architects is not as active in Oregon, he said, and Design Week dissolved during the pandemic, leading to "a lapse in dialogue" among the folks currently shaping the city's skyline.

The latest: As a way to drum up inspiration among the design community again, Gragg and co-director William Smith brought together dozens of models — miniature buildings and landscapes — from over 40 architects to show where the city has been and where it could go.

What's inside: A massive 18-by-20-foot fir model of 1970s Portland sits next to a virtual fly-through of seven work-in-progress projects like the earthquake-ready Burnside Bridge, a re-imagined Lloyd Center and the Albina Vision plan for Rose Quarter.

• Over 50 other models are on display, too, including the Hallock & McMillan Building, Wells Fargo Center and the Portland Building, a postmodern masterpiece.

If you go

It can be easy to forget how much natural beauty Oregon has to offer, so we pulled together our favorite in-state road trips to remind you why you live here.

Cape Perpetua

The highest viewpoint accessible by car on the Oregon coast, Cape Perpetua rises some 800 feet over the crashing waves of the Pacific just south of Yachats.

The Wallowa Mountains

Sometimes called the "Swiss Alps of Oregon," the Wallowa Mountains offer an isolated alternative to the Cascades.

Painted Hills

Distinguished by its stark stripes of red, yellow, orange and black, the Painted Hills give a glimpse into ancient times unlike anywhere else in Oregon, with some fossils dating back up to 30 million years.

The Alvord Desert

Deep in the southeast corner of the state lies the Alvord Desert, framed by the 9,000-foot peak of Steen Mountain and dotted with hot springs.

Tell a traveler

In case you needed one more reason to love our home, where else can you happen upon a therapy llama at the airport?

• Lori Gregory, owner of Mtn Peaks Therapy Llamas & Alpacas, said the animals don't have a set schedule at the airport, so you'll have to get lucky to meet them on your next trip.

For those who do, though, Gregory said the animals provide more than just a novel photo op.

• "A lot of people dread flying, but they tell us that their experience with our animals takes their mind off the flight and carries them through," she told Axios.

"Hippies and loggers provide such a gratifying mix." — Nancy Feldman

"Your reflection of nature provides us solace amongst the disruptions. We love you for inspiring us to keep healthy and keep sucking the marrow out of life." — Molly Haydon

"From our forests to our communities, we all engage in seasonal regeneration and evolution." — Justin Cory

"Oregon attracts people who cherish beautiful, idyllic locations, including rugged ocean beaches, snowy mountains, rivers, natural lakes, plains and much more." — Jim Wilcox

"Cozy gray skies act as a comforting blanket that keeps our environment feeling soft and kind." — Keri Murphy

"I love your natural beauty, OSU and most of all the wonderful, outdoorsy, brilliant, quirky people who call you home. You were the best place for my kids to grow up." — Marion Beers

"A haiku: I whisper to you. As I walk in your forests. My heart beats with yours!" — Tricia George