Willamette Valley Ducks
In the “Water Works” exhibit at the Philomath Museum, one display contains taxidermy specimens of some animals that live in bodies of water. The wood duck is included as a representative of water birds. But there are many other types of ducks that live in this area. Birds of the Willamette Valley Region by Harry Nehls, […]
Courtney Thomas’ Red Feather Fan
The museum’s collection contains many fans including this red one made of ostrich feathers. Unlike most of the other fans, this one was not meant for everyday use. What we know of the owner Courtney Thomas (1868-1959) suggests how it might have been used. In the 1870s, Courtney Thomas was living with her father in […]
Part 2: U.S. Navy Veteran Robert Rose
The previous story contained Robert Rose’s account of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He survived but the ship he was on (the Nevada) was damaged. After they ran it aground away from the harbor, Rose and many other crew members were reassigned. Eventually he ended up on the aircraft carrier the USS Lexington. Rose recollects: […]
U.S. Navy Veteran Robert Rose
In conjunction with Veterans Day, the Corvallis Museum opened a new exhibit which details the military service and later contributions of several Benton County veterans. Benton County Historical Society’s archives also contain the detailed account (The Navy Days) of another Corvallis veteran, Robert (Bob) Richard Rose. Robert Rose joined the U. S. Navy in 1939 and […]
Featured Artifact: Queen Conch
When the Benton County Historical Society obtained the Horner Collection from Oregon State University, it acquired hundreds of shells donated by collectors, including Julia Beard, Marvin Avery, Captain and Mrs. R. P. Burrell, and Cordelia Rackleff. The Burrells collected this queen conch shell at the Margaret Reef off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. Conch […]
Oregon Myrtlewood
The Oregon myrtle tree grows only in a small area of southwestern Oregon and Northern California. The tree is evergreen, with yellow flowers and leaves that emit an strong aroma when crushed. Myrtlewood is most noted for the quality of its wood, which is hard, fine-grained, and varies in color from very light to a […]
Water Works: Religious Uses
Water Works is a current exhibition at the Philomath Museum that features object related to how we use water. One topic the exhibition doesn’t cover is using water in the religious ceremonies of many groups. The museum’s collection includes several related objects. According to Christian belief, Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan. […]
Part 2: The Old Neighborhood: Corvallis Fifth Street
This entry continues Steven Shelton’s recollections of life on 5th Street between Harrison and Polk, in Corvallis, Oregon, during the 1930s. For him, as an elementary school child, “Various sports and games were the core of social activities, the more active ones involving a lot of running, particularly for the older kids. Skinned knees, bloody […]
The Old Neighborhood: Corvallis Fifth Street
From 1924 to 1940, the Shelton family lived at 535 NW Fifth Street in Corvallis. Father Wilbur was part-owner of Corl’s Book Shop in downtown Corvallis. Mother Miriam Corl Shelton cared for her children—Ruth, Bruce, Cecile, Steven, Muriel, and Nancy—and participated in First Baptist Church activities. Steven Shelton later wrote a memoir of his childhood, […]
Corvallis Fall Festival 50th Anniversary
This coming weekend (September 23-24, 2023), the Corvallis Fall Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The event was created in 1973 by the Chamber of Commerce to showcase the arts and the Corvallis community. The event was also scheduled the weekend before the start of fall classes at OSU to welcome students back to town. In 1994, […]