Corvallis, Oregon is as much a beautiful tree-filled city in its own right as it is a vibrant college town. Home to Oregon State University and a population of more than 50,000, it settled in the 1840s by Joseph Avery and William Dixon and their families. Called Marysville for its first 10 years after early settler Mary Lloyd (the same Mary of Mary's River and Mary's Peak), the area proved a wonderful location for settlers.

In 1850 a post office opened, but it was called Avery's. The town grew quickly, in part because of its location along the river. It soon became an important supplier to the gold rushes of both California and Oregon. To avoid confusion with Marysville, California, it was renamed in 1853 to Corvallis, Oregon. Corvallis, in Latin, means heart of the valley.

Two years later Corvallis was very briefly capital of the Oregon Territory. The legislature met later in 1855, however, and passed a bill returning that role to Salem. In 1857 Corvallis, Oregon incorporated. In 1858 Corvallis College was established, renamed Oregon Agricultural College in 1868. The first railway arrived in 1880. The Benton County Courthouse was completed in 1889 at a cost of $70,000. It is today the oldest continually operating courthouse in the state.

Living in Corvallis, Oregon Today

Avery and Dixon's settlement now encompasses more than 13 square miles in Benton County. The most recent census figures note a median house value of just over $160,000, a median household income of about $38,000, and a median age of 27. Those are statistics. The truth goes a bit deeper. Truly in the heart of a spectacular valley, two beautiful mountain ranges, and with an easy drive of the rugged Pacific coast, Corvallis is indeed a marvelous place to live!