Page 28 - Corvallis, OR Historic Preservation Plan

Historic Preservation Plan

were located along 2nd Street, with the north end near the relatively-
new Van Buren Avenue bridge (c. 1913) known as “Automobile Row.”
Around this time, the Pacific Highway was completed, connecting most
of the North American west from California to Vancouver, BC. A portion
of this highway came through Corvallis, now known as OR 99W. This
introduced new uses geared toward auto-tourists such as the seven-
story Benton Hotel (1925), and an auto-park and tourist cabins at the
City Park on the Marys River (now known as Pioneer Park).

Dairy farms and apple orchards dominated the agricultural industry
during this time. Other important agriculture-related activities
included canning, hop growing, and poultry and egg production. In
fact, Corvallis was a renowned poultry breeding center thanks to the
presence of the agricultural college.

In this 30-year period, the Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) saw the
construction of over 30 buildings. As the college’s enrollment continued
to grow, fraternities and sororities began constructing houses in the
nearby residential neighborhoods.

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Benton County National Bank

22 City of Corvallis