This includes the 24,900 Oregon State University students at the main campus in Corvallis, over 5,250 of whom live in one of 16 residence halls on the main campus. Landmarks include The Valley Library, Reser Stadium and Gill Coliseum. Corvallis is the birthplace of Carl Wieman, nobel prize winning US physicist.
Corvallis, Oregon gifts and souvenirs: 37 designs made from Corvallis's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $99. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Corvallis Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Corvallis Landmarks Photo Poster | from $40 |
| Corvallis Vintage Travel Poster | from $40 |
| Corvallis Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Corvallis Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Corvallis Town Line Mug | from $26 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 4 styles
Nine local landmarks, archival matte
Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout
A local landmark photo as a gallery print
Classic large-letter postcard art, filled with local photos
Six local landmarks as instant photos on kraft paper
The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom
Map of local landmarks, washable fabric
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos, 11 oz ceramic
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Large-letter postcard art on a sturdy tote
Foam-front trucker, printed (not embroidered) with local photos
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
Six local landmarks as instant photos, soft fleece 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
The town's earliest Sanborn fire-insurance map, drawn building by building and hand-coloured, from the Library of Congress
From the Library of Congress collections: a historic survey drawing or photograph of the town
Population 2000: 49,322 → 2010: 54,462 → 2020: 59,922
From Wikidata (CC0).
In October 1845, Pennsylvanian Joseph C. Avery arrived in Oregon. Avery took out a land claim at the mouth of Marys River, where it flows into the Willamette River, and in June 1846 took up residence there in a log cabin hastily constructed to hold what seemed a potentially lucrative claim. Avery's primitive 1846 dwelling was the first home within the boundaries of today's city limits and his land claim included the southern section of the contemporary city.
Avery was quickly joined by other settlers along the banks of the Willamette River, including a 640-acre (260 ha) claim directly to his north taken in September 1846 by William F. Dixon. The discovery of gold in California in 1848 temporarily stalled the township development. Like many of his neighbors, Avery left his Oregon home to try his hand at gold mining in the fall of that year. His stay proved to be brief yet profitable. In January 1849, Avery returned to Oregon with a small stock of provisions with plans to open a store on his land.
During 1849, Avery opened his store at the site, platted the land, and surveyed a town site on his own claim, naming the community Marysville. The early town quickly became a profitable re-supply center/mercantile as one of the leading stop-overs for miners traveling the Willamette River to the California Gold Rush mines. The city was thought to have been originally named after early settler Mary Lloyd, but now the name is credited to early French fur trappers who camped near Marys Peak. The reference to "Mary" is, instead, believed to be named after the Virgin Mary.
In the summer of 1851, Joseph Avery and William Dixon each granted back-to-back 40-acre (16 ha) land parcels from their land holdings for the establishment of a county seat. Avery's holding lay to the south and Dixon's to the north, with the Benton County Courthouse marking the approximate line of demarcation between these two land parcels.
In December 1853 the 5th Oregon Territorial Legislature met in Salem, where a petition was presented seeking to change the name of that city to either "Thurston" or "Valena". At the same time, another petition was presented seeking to change the name of Salem to Corvallis, from the Latin meaning "heart of the valley", while a third resolution was presented to the upper house seeking to change the name of Marysville to Corvallis.
A heated debate followed, with the name ultimately awarded to Corvallis in an act passed on December 20 of that same year. By way of rationale, the name "Marysville" was successfully argued to duplicate the moniker of a town in California, located on the same stagecoach route and that a name change was thus necessary to avoid confusion.
A faction within the deeply divided legislature elected to make Corvallis the capital of the Oregon Territory in December 1855. After the 6th Territorial Legislature convened there, the capital was returned to Salem, which would eventually be selected as the permanent seat of state government. A plaque commemorates the former capital.
Corvallis had a three-year boom beginning in 1889, which began with the establishment of a privately owned electrical plant by L.L. Hurd. A flurry of publicity and public and private investment followed, including construction of a grand county courthouse, planning and first construction of a new street railway, construction of a new flour mill along the river between Monroe and Jackson Avenues, and construction of the Hotel Corvallis, today known as the Julian Hotel.
In addition, a carriage factory was launched in the city and the town's streets were improved, while the size of the city was twice enlarged through annexation. Bonds were issued for a city-owned water works, a sewer system, and for public ownership of the electric plant. A publicity campaign was launched to attempt to expand the tax base through new construction for new arrivals. This effort proved mostly unsuccessful, however, and in 1892, normality returned, with the city saddled with about $150,000 in bonded debt.
In the first half of the 1900s, before WWII ended, Corvallis mostly grew westward, close to OSU in what is mostly now College Hill West Historic District.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Corvallis, Oregon, revision 1381035117 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Corvallis sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
15 free coloring pages of Corvallis, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.
Corvallis's population was 59,922 in the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 49,322 in 2000.
The Valley Library
Reser Stadium
Gill Coliseum
Waldo Hall