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Oregon Historic Sites Database

LOCATION AND PROPERTY NAME
address:200 SW 15th St historic name:Education Hall
Corvallis, Benton County (97331) current/other names:Agricultural Hall; Science Hall
assoc addresses:
block/lot/tax lot:
location descr: twnshp/rng/sect/qtr sect:12S 5W 3
PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS
resource type:Building height (stories):3.0 total elig resources: total inelig resources:
elig evaluation: eligible/contributing NR Status: Listed in Historic District
prim constr date:1902 second date:1924 date indiv listed:
primary orig use: College orig use comments:
second orig use:
primary style: Romanesque prim style comments:
secondary style: sec style comments:
primary siding: Granite siding comments:
secondary siding: Sandstone
plan type: School (General) architect:Burggraff, Charles A.
builder:
comments/notes:
GROUPINGS / ASSOCIATIONS
Survey/Grouping Included In: Type of Grouping Date Listed Date Compiled
   College Hill West Nomination Survey Survey & Inventory Project 2000
   Oregon State University Historic District Listed Historic District 06/25/2008 2007
Farmstead/Cluster Name:Oregon State University
SHPO INFORMATION FOR THIS PROPERTY
NR date listed: N/A
ILS survey date:
RLS survey date: 05/16/2007
106 Project(s): None
Special Assess Project(s): None
Federal Tax Project(s): None
ARCHITECTURAL / PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
(Includes expanded description of the building/property, setting, significant landscape features, outbuildings and alterations)
Education Hall is a four-story, 40,032 square foot, Richardsonian Romanesque style building. It is made of stone, with the ground floor comprised of granite laid in broken-bond with extruded mortar, and the upper stories are Cascade sandstone veneer with rusticated rock faced finish. The roof is gabled and there is a turret with a conical roof to the north side of the west entrance. The original roof was made of dark red metal tile and the cornice was metal painted light gray. Windows are one over one, double hung. Alterations: There were major fires in 1924 and 1927 that caused destruction of original woodwork. In 1939, the building was rebuilt with concrete post beam and slab, using architect John V. Bennes’ plans, and stairs, elevator, and skylights were added. Also in 1939 the north chimney and south gables were dismantled and roof dormers added. In 1964 the building was coated with elastomeric neoprene which was removed in the 1990s and replaced with wire netting. Landscape: Education Hall is on the east side of OSU campus. It is just south of a large, grassy area, and is bordered by 14th Street on its east side. Setting: Education Hall is on the east side of OSU main campus, on the eastern border of Sector C. Alterations: 1924, 1927: Fires 1939: rebuilt w/concrete post, beam, slab (architect John V. Bennes) stairs, elevator, skylights added; 1939: chimney at north and south gables dismantled, roof dormers added; 1964: Coated with elastomeric neoprene; 1990's coating removed
HISTORY
(Chronological, descriptive history of the property from its construction through at least the historic period - preferably to the present)
This campus landmark was originally named Agricultural Hall. It was built to advance instruction and experimentation in agricultural science at Oregon Agricultural College at a time when agriculture was Oregon’s principal industry. The building was renamed Science Hall (commonly referred to as the ‘Chem Shack’) in 1910 when the Agriculture Department moved into Strand Agricultural Hall and the Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Forestry Departments occupied the building. In Early 1920's, Linus Pauling (1922 graduate, 2-time Nobel Prize winner) took classes, labs and taught classes in Science Hall. When the Chemistry Department moved to Gilbert Hall in 1940, the building was renamed once again. It was named Education Hall and housed the Education Department, along with many others. Up until this time, the Education Department had spread classes throughout several buildings on campus. There were major fires in 1924 and 1927 that destroyed the original interior wood framing, though the building’s exterior remained in tact. This lead the university to replace the interior frame with steel and concrete. However, the stone exterior was never attached to the new inner walls, which created a hazard because the stones were not anchored down. University officials decided to cover the outside of the building in wire in the early 1990s to ensure public safety. Education Hall still houses the Education Department and the building is cherished by many in the Oregon State community. Though the building was slated for demolition in 2001, significant interest in restoring the building has kept it in tact and functional. In fact, Education Hall became the first building on campus to go wireless in 2003.
RESEARCH INFORMATION
Title Records Census Records Property Tax Records Local Histories
Sanborn Maps Biographical Sources SHPO Files Interviews
Obituaries Newspapers State Archives Historic Photographs
City Directories Building Permits State Library
Local Library: University Library:
Historical Society: Other Respository:
Bibliography:
“Agricultural Hall.” Oregon Agricultural College. 1902.* Hoessly, Julia. “The History of Education Hall 1902 – “ Oregon State University. 1980.* Hogue, Theresa. “This history lesson lives right on OSU’s campus.” Gazette-Times. Oct. 18, 2002. _____. “Happy 100th: OSU plan rededication of Education Hall.” Albany Democrat-Herald. Oct. 18, 2002. _____. “Wire-covered building goes wireless.” Gazette-Times. Nov. 23, 2003.