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A Photographic History of Oregon State University

Architectural Harmony and Function: Development of OSU's Campus

The original Corvallis College building in downtown Corvallis, completed in 1859, served the institution in its various roles for nearly thirty years. With the construction of what is now Benton Hall on the western edge of the college farm in 1888, OAC was poised to develop a physical infrastructure that would carry it into the twentieth century and beyond.

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Mechanical Hall fire aftermath, September 1898. The fire that destroyed Mechanical Hall the night of September 26, 1898 was a devastating, but temporary, setback for OAC. Though classrooms, shops, athletic facilities, and electrical generating facilities were destroyed, the college persevered. The new gymnasium and armory, already under construction, was completed in early 1899. Through the efforts of regent and former legislator John Apperson, state funds quickly were approved for a new mechanical hall. A new powerhouse was completed in 1900, providing a stable source of electricity for the campus. (P101:517)
Stock judging pavilion, 1912. This facility, designed by John Bennes, was used by the Animal Husbandry Department for the showing of animals and to afford students “an opportunity to examine, score, test, and otherwise study the splendid specimens” of the college stock and those of farmers and breeders. Unfortunately the facility burned a few months after completion due to a malfunctioning woodstove. It was replaced with a similar, but more modest, structure. The recently completed (2012) James E. Oldfield Animal Teaching Center, which has a large demonstration area, includes a number of design elements similar to the 1912 pavilion. (P25:1161)
Construction of the temporary war barracks, 1918. The implementation of the Students' Army Training Corps (SATC) in 1918 necessitated additional housing for male students. This building was quickly constructed to the west of the Forestry Building (visible to the right) and later used as a dormitory for men (Poling Hall). The dorm rooms held from two to six men, and the basement area included a cafeteria. The dormitory was used until 1928, when a new Men’s Dormitory (now Weatherford Hall) was built on the location. (HC 1342)
Delivering fuel to the steam plant, ca. 1940. This delivery truck from the Corvallis Lumber Company is unloading wood chips (hogged fuel). The lumber company’s mill was located at the confluence of the Marys and Willamette Rivers in Corvallis, and its mill waste was an important fuel source for the college. Hogged fuel, which also arrived by rail car for many years, was used by the steam plant into the 1970s. (P16:803)
Married students at Adair Village housing for veterans, ca. 1946. The large number of returning veterans after World War II created a severe shortage of student housing at OSC. As a temporary measure to alleviate part of the shortage, the college utilized part of the former Camp Adair military training cantonment to house returning veterans, many of whom were married. The Adair Village housing, which consisted of 326 units, opened in the fall of 1946. (HC 816 #13)
Students walking by Quonset huts, ca. 1946. Like many colleges and universities, Oregon State experienced a significant increase in student enrollment immediately after World War II. The resulting space challenges were met in a variety ways, including the use of Quonset huts as temporary buildings in many locations on campus. The buildings in this photograph were located on the west side of the Home Economics Building (Milam Hall). Quonsets were developed during the war as all-purpose buildings that could be assembled quickly and in almost any location. (P25:1807)
College Playhouse, ca. 1951. The old armory and gymnasium building was converted to a playhouse for Oregon State’s excellent theatre program in 1950. It was renamed Mitchell Playhouse in 1961, in memory of C.B. Mitchell, longtime chair of the Speech Dept. and director of the theatre program. The building was used as the playhouse until 1990, when fire safety concerns closed it for that purpose. In 1992 it was restored with gift funds from the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation, and reopened as the Gladys Valley Gymnastics Center. (P16:814)
Electrical and Computer Engineering Building, ca. 1988. Opened in October 1988, it contains a smokestack from the 1909 heating plant that serves as a solar heated air return for the building’s heating system. The building was renamed Owen Hall in 1999, in memory of Professor Thomas Owen, chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept. and Dean of Engineering from 1990 until his death in 1997. Today it houses the School of Civil and Construction Engineering. (P3, 1989 Beaver Yearbook photos)
Industrial Building fire, July 1992. The fire destroyed half of this building, including most of OSU Printing & Mailing Services’ facilities and equipment. The losses were valued at $1.9 million for the building and $4 million in printing equipment. The Industrial Building was originally constructed in 1947 to house the Forest Products Lab. The destroyed portion of the building was reconstructed in 1996, and the entire building was renamed Cascade Hall. (P120, Accession 2009:011)