For an honorable pioneer of the PNW, look no further than Joel Palmer.

Joel was the first captain of the first group of pioneers to break trail and make their way to Oregon via St. Louis. He's the first recorded person to ever summit Mt. Hood, and this decision is what helped carve the Barlow trail around the mountain and to Oregon City.

He wrote a book about their travels across the western US and was the first person to come up with an English to Chinook language translation and publish it in his novel "Travels over the Rocky Mountains" (a surprisingly good read all these years later). In his book he describes how to interact with the many different tribes one would encounter across the lands and how to trade with them. He even smokes weed with the tribes he likes the most.

He was known for having a way with indigenous Americans, and was appointed the first director of the Bureau of Indian affairs. Unfortunately his career took a huge dive after creating the federalized Indian reservation system. Although full of terrible history and stories, Joel was moved to create the reservation system as a way to prevent the state sponsored genocide that was taking place across the United States. Contextually at the time the west was being expanded and the Palouse wars were going on as well as a really bad measles and smallpox outbreak. By advocating for the reservation system Palmer was able to resolve the war. Still millions of indigenous peoples lost their lives, all of them lost their homes, and he lost his job as many (but historically important to remember not all) people felt that genocide was the right way and the reservation system was too generous.

He retired to what is still considered middle of bum fuck no where Oregon, in Palmer county. He has many things named after him, although surprisingly less than Ogden (that's what he gets for not being a capitalist). My favorite is Palmer snow field up at Timberline. I like to go up there and imagine him hiking up the whole thing in mocassins looking out at the exact same view covering most of the state. Its pure heaven. There's also a very fancy winery and restaurant in the Willamette named after him.

For more modern Oregon/American heroes look into Tom McCall.

PS this is a piggyback hopefully more people can learn about.

Yeah, he seems more appropriately called a "serial killer", than a "fur trader".

Yes, soft men of refined lawful behavior often make really good explorers where there is no expectation of the rule of law. /s

There’s a reason it was called the “fur wars”. The point is he redeemed himself by the standards of that time and place.

[removed]