Discover 20 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Corvallis (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Corvallis Arts Center, Reser Stadium, and Fort Hoskins. Also, be sure to include Van Buren Street Bridge in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Corvallis (Oregon).
Table of Contents
Corvallis Arts Center
The Corvallis Arts Center is a nonprofit organization whose stated mission includes conducting an array of "diverse exhibitions and cultural events" and providing the Corvallis, Oregon community with outreach and educational services relating to the arts. The center offers an ongoing series of art classes and camps, with a particular focus on the needs of at-risk youth. More than a dozen teaching artists working in a range of mediums conduct classes, exhibits, and demonstrations in connection with the center's work.
It operates from a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan", built in 1889.[1]
Reser Stadium
Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon. Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in the northwest United States, on the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. It is the home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pac-12 Conference, and opened 69 years ago in 1953 as Parker Stadium. It was renamed in 1999. As renovations take place to build a new southwest grandstand, the current seating capacity has been reduced to 26,407. The FieldTurf playing field runs northwest to southeast, at an approximate elevation of 240 feet above sea level, with the press box above the grandstand on the southwest sideline.[2]
Address: 660 SW 26th St, 97331-8622 Corvallis (Southwest Corvallis)
Fort Hoskins
Fort. Fort Hoskins was one of three "forts" built by the U.S. Army to monitor the Coastal Indian Reservation in Oregon Territory in the mid- 19th century. The Fort Hoskins Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fort Hoskins was garrisoned by a number of companies of soldiers throughout its short existence, and future Union Civil War generals Christopher Columbus Augur and Phil Sheridan were stationed there.[3]
Address: 38150 Ft. Hoskins Rd, Philomath, OR, Corvallis
Van Buren Street Bridge
Swing bridge in Corvallis, Oregon. The Van Buren Street Bridge is a swing span, steel motor vehicle bridge spanning the Willamette River at Corvallis in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1913, the black colored bridge was the first bridge across the river at Corvallis and is now the third oldest bridge across the river. Owned by the state and maintained by the Oregon Department of Transportation, the 708-foot long span is of a through truss design and carries one lane of traffic of Oregon Route 34 eastbound from Corvallis into neighboring Linn County. The bridge no longer is able to swing open.[4]
Whiteside Theatre
Theater in Corvallis, Oregon. The Whiteside Theatre is a historic theater building in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. Constructed in 1922 and closed as a commercial theater in 2002, the 800-seat venue was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.[5]
Address: 361 SW Madison Ave, Corvallis
Irish Bend Covered Bridge
Covered bridge in Benton County, Oregon. Irish Bend Covered Bridge is a wooden covered bridge near Corvallis, Oregon, United States. It was constructed in 1954 and originally spanned the Willamette Slough on Irish Bend Road near Monroe. However, in 1975 Irish Bend Road was realigned and the bridge fell into a state of disrepair. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It was eventually dismantled in 1988 to make way for a more modern concrete span. Through negotiations with Benton County and Oregon State University, an agreement was reached to reconstruct the bridge on university property. $30,000 was raised by the Irish Bend Advisory Committee, and Benton County provided an additional $30,000 to fund the project, which was completed in 1989. Due to the relocation, the bridge was removed from the National Register in 1989. It was relisted in 2013.
Today, the bridge is part of a path through the research farm between 35th and 53rd Streets on the west side of the OSU campus, spanning Oak Creek. Although the property is owned by the university, maintenance is carried out by the Benton County Parks Department.[6]
Address: SW Campus Way, Corvallis (Southwest Corvallis)
Peavy Arboretum
Arboretum in Benton County, Oregon. Peavy Arboretum is an arboretum operated by Oregon State University and located on Arboretum Road, Corvallis, Oregon. It is open to the public daily without charge.
The arboretum was dedicated by the university in 1926, operated as a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp from 1933–1942, and reverted to College of Forestry management in 1964. While the CCC was active, they planted trees, expanded the nursery, constructed Cronemiller Lake, and built roads, trails, and firebreaks.[7]
Address: Arboretum Rd., Corvallis
The Valley Library
University library in Corvallis, Oregon. The Valley Library is the primary library of Oregon State University and is located at the school's main campus in Corvallis in the U.S. state of Oregon. Established in 1887, the library was placed in its own building for the first time in 1918, what is now Kidder Hall. The current building opened in 1963 as the William Jasper Kerr Library and was expanded and renamed in 1999 as The Valley Library. The library is named for philanthropist F. Wayne Valley, who played football for Oregon State.
One of three libraries for Oregon State, The Valley Library stores more than 1.4 million volumes, 14,000 serials, and more than 500,000 maps and government documents. It is designated as a Federal Depository Library and is also a repository for state documents. The six-story library building is of a contemporary, neoclassical style with a red-brick exterior highlighted by white sections along the top and on part of the eastern side. The eastern side includes a white-faced rotunda that features a two-story atrium on the main floor.[8]
Address: 201 SW Waldo Pl, 97331 Corvallis (Southwest Corvallis)
Oregon State University
Public university in Corvallis, Oregon. Oregon State University is a public land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon. The university offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. On-campus enrollment averages near 32,000, making it the state's largest university. Since its founding over 272,000 students have graduated from OSU. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" with an additional, optional designation as a "Community Engagement" university.
OSU is a land-grant university that also participates in the sea-grant, space-grant, and sun-grant research consortia; it is one of only four such universities in the country (University of Hawaii at Manoa, Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University are the others). OSU received $441 million in research funding for the 2017 fiscal year and consistently ranks as the state's top earner in research funding.[9]
Benton County Courthouse
Building in Corvallis, Oregon. The Benton County Courthouse is a courthouse building located in Corvallis, Benton County, in the American state of Oregon. Built in 1888, the facility is regarded as the oldest county courthouse in Oregon still being used for its original purpose. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[10]
Address: 4th St, Corvallis
Community Hall
Building in Corvallis, Oregon. Community Hall was the first building constructed on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, Oregon and the oldest structure on its campus today. Its original name was simply the "Administration Building" while the university itself was using the name under which it was first organized: Oregon State Agricultural College. It is situated on a gentle slope called "College Hill," just west of the city's commercial center on the west bank of the Willamette River, there anchoring what remains of the school's original buildings on the "Lower Campus" : Apperson Hall, Benton Annex, Education Hall and Gladys Valley Gymnastics Center.[11]
Address: Corvallis, 1650 SW Pioneer Place
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
Public library in Corvallis, Oregon. The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library is a public library located in the American city of Corvallis, Oregon. The library's motto is "Enrich, excite, explore!" It is part of a city-county system with branches in Alsea, Monroe, and Philomath as well as a bookmobile.[12]
Address: 645 NW Monroe Ave, 97330 Corvallis (Northwest Corvallis)
Crystal Lake Cemetery
Cemetery in Benton County, Oregon. Crystal Lake Cemetery, located in Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2004. It is a burial ground that provides Corvallis residents with funeral and burial services. Although the tombs found at Crystal Lake Cemetery are not the oldest ones in Benton County, it is said that Crystal Lake Cemetery is one of the oldest cemetery in continuous use. Memorial Day services have been offered by it for about 60 years. The Corvallis American Legion Post 11 and the Corvallis Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 640 now sponsored the activity near the Civil War monument.[13]
Dr. Henry S. Pernot House
The Dr. Henry S. Pernot House is a historic residence in Corvallis, Oregon, United States.
The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[14]
Address: 242 Southwest 5th Street, Corvallis (Southwest Corvallis)
First Congregational Church
Congregational church in Corvallis, Oregon. The First Congregational Church, also known as DeMoss–Durdan Mortuary, is a historic former church building in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.[15]
Camp Arboretum Sign Shop
The Camp Arboretum Sign Shop, located in Corvallis, Oregon, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[16]
Waldo Hall
Building in Corvallis, Oregon. Waldo Hall is a building on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The building's fourth floor, inaccessible to the public, is one of several reportedly haunted sites on campus.
Waldo Hall was named in 1907 for Clara H. Waldo, the wife of pioneer and Oregon supreme court judge John B. Waldo. She served on OSU's board of regents and was the first woman in the U.S. to serve on the board of a state college. She was also the first woman to address an OSU graduation class.[17]
Address: 2250 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis (Southwest Corvallis)
Pegasus Frame Studio & Gallery
Museum, Art gallery
Address: 341 SW 2nd St, Corvallis
John Fiechter House
Historical landmark in Benton County, Oregon. The John Fiechter House, also known as Failing Cottage, is a historic house in Benton County, Oregon, United States.
The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[18]
The LaSells Stewart Center
Performing arts theater in Corvallis, Oregon. The LaSells Stewart Center is the performing arts and conference center on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, Oregon, USA. The Stewart Family donated the money used to construct the center, and it is dedicated to the memory of LaSells Stewart.
Facilities inside of The LaSells Stewart Center include; the Austin Auditorium, the Construction and Engineering Hall, the Giustina Gallery, the Agriculture Production Room/Agriculture Leaders Room/Agriculture Science Room, the Wells Fargo Room and the Weyerhaeuser Board Room.
Giustina Gallery, located in the lobby of The LaSells Stewart Center, showcases artwork from local and national artists, as well as faculty and students of Oregon State University. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.[19]
Address: 875 SW 26th St, Corvallis (Southwest Corvallis)