Corvallis, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Corvallis, Oregon
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| Motto(s):
Enhancing Community Livability
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Location of Corvallis within Benton County (left) and Benton County within Oregon (right)
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 Corvallis, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Oregon | |
| County | Benton | |
| Founded / Incorporated | 1845 / 1857 | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 14.59 sq mi (37.79 km2) | |
| • Land | 14.46 sq mi (37.46 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) | |
| Elevation | 256 ft (78 m) | |
| Population
(2023)
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| • City | 61,087 | |
| • Density | 4,143.12/sq mi (1,599.64/km2) | |
| • Urban | 69,583 (US: 436th) | |
| • Metro | 97,713 (US: 365th) | |
| Demonym(s) | Corvallisite | |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
97330-97331, 97333, 97339
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| Area codes | 541, 458 | |
| FIPS code | 41-15800 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410237 | |
| Website | City of Corvallis | |
Corvallis (/kɔːrˈvælɪs/ kor-VAL-iss) is a city in central western Oregon, United States. It is the main city of the Corvallis area, which includes all of Benton County. As of 2023, about 61,087 people live here. This number includes over 38,000 students at Oregon State University.
Corvallis is home to Oregon State University, a large hospital called Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, and a big Hewlett Packard campus. This campus invented the Laser jet printer and the Computer mouse. Corvallis is also part of the Silicon Forest, a region known for technology companies. It is the westernmost city in the lower 48 states with more than 50,000 people.
Corvallis is also the main city of a larger area called the Albany-Corvallis-Lebanon Combined Statistical Area. This area includes Benton County and Linn County, with a total population of about 229,209 in 2023.
Contents
History of Corvallis
How Corvallis Started
In 1845, a man named Joseph C. Avery from Pennsylvania came to Oregon. He claimed land where the Marys River meets the Willamette River. In 1846, he built the first home in what is now Corvallis. His land claim covered the southern part of the city today.
Other settlers soon joined Avery. In 1848, gold was found in California, and Avery left to try mining. But he came back in 1849 to open a store.
In 1849, Avery planned out the town on his land and named it Marysville. The name might have come from an early settler named Mary Lloyd. But now, people think it came from French fur trappers who named Marys Peak after the Virgin Mary.
In 1851, Joseph Avery and William Dixon, another settler, each gave 40 acres of their land. This land was used to create the county seat, which is the main town for the county government. The Benton County Courthouse stands near where their two land claims met.
Why the Name Changed
In 1853, the Oregon government met in Salem. A request was made to change Marysville's name to "Corvallis." The name "Corvallis" comes from Latin and means "heart of the valley."
People argued that "Marysville" was too similar to a town in California on the same stagecoach route. To avoid confusion, the name was officially changed to Corvallis on December 20, 1853.
Becoming a City
Some people in the government wanted Corvallis to be the capital of the Oregon Territory. In December 1855, the government met in Corvallis for a short time before moving back to Salem. Salem eventually became the permanent capital.
Corvallis officially became a city on January 29, 1857.
Growth in the 1800s
Corvallis grew quickly for three years starting in 1889. An electrical plant was built, and the city saw many improvements. These included a new county courthouse, a street railway, a flour mill, and the Hotel Corvallis.
The city also added a carriage factory and improved its streets. It grew twice by adding nearby areas. The city took on debt to build a water system, a sewer system, and to own the electric plant. They tried to attract more people and businesses, but this didn't work as well as they hoped. By 1892, the city had about $150,000 in debt.
Geography and Climate
Corvallis is located along the Willamette River. To the northwest, it is bordered by the hills of the Oregon Coast Range. Bald Hill offers a great view of the town.
The city covers about 14.30 square miles (37.04 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
Corvallis Weather
| Weather chart for Corvallis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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6.5
47
34
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4.8
51
35
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5
56
37
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3.3
61
40
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2.3
68
45
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1.3
74
49
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0.3
83
52
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0.4
84
51
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1.5
78
48
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3.5
65
42
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6.5
53
38
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7.7
47
34
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches |
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Metric conversion
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Corvallis has a mild climate, like many places near a coast. Summers are warm, dry, and sunny. Winters are mild and wet, with cloudy skies. Spring and fall are also wet, with light rain often falling for long periods.
Snow in winter is rare. When it does snow, it's usually just a light dusting that doesn't stay on the ground for long. The hills to the northwest often get more snow. Sometimes, after a lot of rain in winter, thick fog can form and last all day. This fog can make it hard to see.
The amount of rain can vary in Corvallis. The far northwest hills get about 66.40 inches (168.7 cm) of rain each year. But at Oregon State University in the city center, it's about 43.66 inches (110.9 cm) per year.
Corvallis can be a bit cooler than other parts of the Willamette Valley, especially in the hills. The average low temperature is 42°F (5.6°C). Even so, temperatures rarely drop far below freezing.
| Climate data for Corvallis, Oregon (Oregon State University), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
69 (21) |
82 (28) |
91 (33) |
96 (36) |
110 (43) |
109 (43) |
108 (42) |
103 (39) |
92 (33) |
73 (23) |
66 (19) |
110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 58.8 (14.9) |
61.0 (16.1) |
68.7 (20.4) |
76.2 (24.6) |
84.9 (29.4) |
89.8 (32.1) |
96.9 (36.1) |
97.3 (36.3) |
92.1 (33.4) |
78.5 (25.8) |
64.1 (17.8) |
57.9 (14.4) |
100.1 (37.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47.4 (8.6) |
51.3 (10.7) |
56.1 (13.4) |
60.9 (16.1) |
68.1 (20.1) |
73.8 (23.2) |
82.9 (28.3) |
83.7 (28.7) |
77.6 (25.3) |
65.0 (18.3) |
53.2 (11.8) |
46.7 (8.2) |
63.9 (17.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 40.9 (4.9) |
43.0 (6.1) |
46.5 (8.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
56.3 (13.5) |
61.2 (16.2) |
67.5 (19.7) |
67.6 (19.8) |
62.9 (17.2) |
53.5 (11.9) |
45.4 (7.4) |
40.3 (4.6) |
52.9 (11.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.3 (1.3) |
34.8 (1.6) |
37.0 (2.8) |
39.5 (4.2) |
44.5 (6.9) |
48.6 (9.2) |
52.1 (11.2) |
51.4 (10.8) |
48.2 (9.0) |
42.0 (5.6) |
37.6 (3.1) |
33.9 (1.1) |
42.0 (5.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 23.6 (−4.7) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
28.8 (−1.8) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
34.7 (1.5) |
39.6 (4.2) |
44.9 (7.2) |
43.8 (6.6) |
38.7 (3.7) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
17.7 (−7.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −1 (−18) |
−5 (−21) |
12 (−11) |
22 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
30 (−1) |
36 (2) |
37 (3) |
27 (−3) |
20 (−7) |
10 (−12) |
−8 (−22) |
−8 (−22) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.46 (164) |
4.80 (122) |
4.95 (126) |
3.29 (84) |
2.31 (59) |
1.34 (34) |
0.34 (8.6) |
0.39 (9.9) |
1.49 (38) |
3.50 (89) |
6.46 (164) |
7.71 (196) |
43.04 (1,094.5) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.5 (1.3) |
1.6 (4.1) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
2.9 (7.45) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 21.1 | 17.7 | 19.8 | 17.7 | 12.9 | 8.2 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 7.0 | 14.8 | 20.6 | 21.9 | 167.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Corvallis
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,128 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,527 | 35.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,819 | 19.1% | |
| 1910 | 4,552 | 150.2% | |
| 1920 | 5,752 | 26.4% | |
| 1930 | 7,585 | 31.9% | |
| 1940 | 8,392 | 10.6% | |
| 1950 | 16,207 | 93.1% | |
| 1960 | 20,669 | 27.5% | |
| 1970 | 35,056 | 69.6% | |
| 1980 | 40,960 | 16.8% | |
| 1990 | 44,757 | 9.3% | |
| 2000 | 49,322 | 10.2% | |
| 2010 | 54,462 | 10.4% | |
| 2020 | 59,922 | 10.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
Corvallis is the largest city in the Albany-Corvallis-Lebanon Combined Statistical Area. This area includes Benton County and Linn County. In 2023, it had a total population of 229,209 people.
Corvallis Population Facts
In 2020, Corvallis had 59,922 people and 23,952 households. The city had about 4,200 people per square mile (1,621 people per square kilometer).
Most people in Corvallis were White (79.4%). About 10% were Asian, and 1.4% were Black or African American. About 8.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
The average household had 2.24 people. About 33.8% of households were married couples. The median age in the city was 27.5 years old.
Religion in Corvallis
Corvallis is in an area sometimes called the "Unchurched Belt." A study in 2003 found that Benton County, where Corvallis is located, had the fewest religious people per person in the United States. Only about one in four people said they belonged to a religious group. This might also be because some people follow less common religions not included in the study.
Economy and Jobs
Oregon State University is a very important employer in Corvallis. It is located close to the downtown area.
Other big employers include Samaritan Health Services and HP Inc.. HP Inc. has a large research and development center in Corvallis. They work on things like printers. The city tries to attract more creative businesses to the area.
The National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis is like a "gene bank." It is run by the United States Department of Agriculture. This gene bank saves different kinds of fruit, nut, and farm crops from all over the world.
In 2008, Fortune Small Business magazine ranked Corvallis as one of the best places in the U.S. to live and start a business. It was ranked number 48 out of 100 cities.
Fun Things to Do
Yearly Events and Festivals
- Downtown Corvallis Wine Walk
This event happens once or twice a year. Local wineries team up with downtown shops. People can try wines and shop at the same time. It has been happening since 2012.
- Da Vinci Days Festival
This festival celebrates science, technology, and art. It happens every summer and includes live music. There's also a fun Kinetic Sculpture Race where teams build amazing moving sculptures. The festival is named after the famous inventor Leonardo da Vinci. It started in 1988.
- Red White and Blue Riverfront Festival
This festival takes place every year on July 4th at Riverfront Park. It has food, vendors, and live bands. The day starts with a big parade through downtown Corvallis. It ends with a fireworks show over the river at 10 pm. The parade began in 1985.
- Philomath Frolic & Rodeo
This family-friendly festival and rodeo celebrates American Western traditions. It also honors the history of the logging industry. It usually happens in mid-July. The rodeo attracts over 5,000 people each year. It has won "Rodeo of the Year" many times.
- Corvallis Celtic Festival
This new festival celebrates Celtic culture. It takes place in late July in Central Park. You can enjoy lively music, dancing, and workshops that show Celtic traditions.
- Benton County Fair & Rodeo
The Benton County Fair & Rodeo has been held almost every year since 1913. It takes place at the Benton County Fairgrounds. The fair includes carnival games, rides, animals, food, live music, and a rodeo. It usually happens on the first weekend in August.
- SeptemBeerFest
This festival is held every September in Avery Park. It celebrates local homebrewers and craft breweries. It's a fun event for the community and helps raise money for a local non-profit group. It started in 2007.
- Corvallis Fall Festival
This is an annual arts party held in Central Park. It started in 1972 and celebrates local art.
- BlockTober Fest
This festival celebrates Oktoberfest in downtown Corvallis. It's hosted by Block 15 Brewing. The event has German music, German-inspired beer and food, face painting, and fun contests. It started in 2008.
- St. Anne Greek Fest
This festival celebrates Greek culture. It happens every October near Corvallis in Lewisburg. There's live Greek music, traditional dances, face-painting, games, and Greek food. The money raised helps maintain the historic Lewisburg Grange Hall.
- 2 Town's Harvest Party
This party is hosted by 2 Town's Ciderhouse in mid-to-late October. It celebrates the apple harvest used for their ciders. It features many craft drinks, food trucks, and live music. Part of the money goes to a local charity.
- Pastega Christmas Light Display
This drive-through Christmas light display is a Corvallis tradition for over 40 years. It starts after Thanksgiving and lasts until after New Year's Day. It features over 200 light figures and moving scenes. Thousands of cars visit the display each day.
Museums and Other Places to Visit
- Benton County Courthouse
- Corvallis Museum (Benton County Historical Society)
- Hesthaven Nature Center
- McDonald State Forest
- Peavy Arboretum
- William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge
- Alsea Falls
- Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
- Osborn Aquatic Center
- Corvallis Farmers' Market
- Vineyard Mountain
- Whiteside Theatre
Art Galleries and Murals
Corvallis has several art galleries where you can see local art:
- The Arts Center
- Giustina and Murdock Galleries
- Fairbanks Gallery
- Art in the Valley
- Pegasus Art Gallery
- Corvallis Art Guild (almost 80 years old!)
You can also find over 30 colorful murals around town, especially in downtown Corvallis. Many are close enough to walk to.
Music Scene
Corvallis is home to the Corvallis-OSU Symphony, which is Oregon's oldest orchestra.
Other music groups include:
- Corvallis Youth Symphony Association
- Chintimini Chamber Music Festival
- Chamber Music Corvallis
- Corvallis-OSU Piano International
- Corvallis Guitar Society
- Corvallis Community Band (They host summer concerts in Central Park!)
- Willamette Valley Symphony
- Heart of the Valley Children's Choir
- Hilltop Big Band
The Corvallis Environmental Center also hosts the "SAGE Live Music Concert Series" every summer.
Sports in Corvallis
Corvallis is home to Oregon State University. This means it's where the OSU Beavers teams play. They compete in NCAA Division I sports in the Pac-12 Conference.
Corvallis also has the Corvallis Knights baseball team. They play in the summer at OSU's Goss Stadium. The Knights are part of the West Coast League, which is a league for college baseball players.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
Corvallis is known as a Tree City USA. The city has at least 47 public parks. One very popular park is Avery Park and Natural Area. It has a cross-country course for the Oregon State Beavers teams. Beazell Memorial Forest, the largest park in Benton County, is also nearby.
Parks in Corvallis
- Willamette Park
- Crystal Lake Sports Fields
- Avery Park
- Wildcat Park
- Crystal Lake Sports Park
- Peavy Arboretum
- Timberhill Natural Area
- Central Park
- Cloverland City Park
- Porter Park
- Village Green Sports Fields & Park
- Chintimini Park
- Bald Hill Natural Area
- Jackson-Frazier Wetlands
- Riverfront Commemorative Park
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park
- Bruce Starker Arts Park
- Witham Hill Natural Area
- Arnold Park
- Woodland Meadow Park
Education in Corvallis
Education has been important in Corvallis since the town's early days. The first school building was built in 1848.
Corvallis is known for having a highly educated population. Public schools in the city are run by the Corvallis School District. There are two main high schools: Corvallis High School and Crescent Valley High School.
Corvallis is also home to Oregon State University and the Benton Center campus of Linn-Benton Community College.
Media and News
Print Newspapers
- Corvallis Gazette-Times
This is the daily newspaper for Corvallis. It is owned by Lee Enterprises. The paper started in its current form in 1909. It was created when two older newspapers, The Corvallis Gazette (from 1863) and The Corvallis Times (from 1888), joined together.
- The Corvallis Advocate
This is a free alternative newsweekly newspaper. It describes itself as "fiercely independent." It covers local business, government, social justice, and parenting. The paper aims to support the community.
- The Daily Barometer
This is the independent campus newspaper for Oregon State University. It is published weekly. Students work as editors, reporters, and photographers. They cover local news and important student issues. The first issue of The Barometer came out in 1896.
Radio Stations
Here are some local radio stations in the Corvallis area:
| Channel | Name | Notes/ Slogan |
|---|---|---|
| 88.7 FM | KBVR | "Award Winning Student Radio" (Run by Oregon State students) |
| 90.3 FM | KAKK | "CSN International" |
| 92.9 FM | KCCK | "Classical Music Radio" |
| 95.7 FM | KBPK | "All Classical Radio" |
| 101.5 FM | KFLY | "US 101 Country" |
| 103.1 FM | KOPB | "OPB" (Oregon Public Broadcasting/ PBS station) |
| 104.3 FM | KBOO | "Community Radio" (Philomath) |
| 105.9 FM | KORC | "Corvallis' Community Radio" |
| 106.3 FM | KLOO | "Timeless Rock" |
| 550 AM | KOAC | "OPB" (Official Oregon Public Broadcasting and NPR station) |
| 1240 AM | KEJO | "Joe Radio" (Official Oregon State Beavers, Corvallis Knights Baseball, Seattle Mariners Baseball & Fox Sports Radio station) |
| 1340 AM | KLOO | "News Talk Radio" |
Television Stations
Corvallis has one main TV station and three translator stations. KAOC-TV is an Oregon Public Broadcasting/PBS station. Translator stations for KLSR-TV (FOX 34 Oregon), KGW (NBC 8 Portland), and KATU (TV) (ABC 2 Portland) are also available in the city.
-KAOC-TV
| Channel | Name |
|---|---|
| 7.1 | PBS TV |
| 7.2 | OBP Kids |
| 7.3 | OBP World |
| 7.4 | OPB-FM Jazz Radio |
Translator stations for:
-KLSR-TV (FOX 34 Oregon) at K14GW-D
| Channel | Name |
|---|---|
| 34.1 | Fox 34 Oregon News |
| 34.2 | MyNet |
| 23.1 | KEVU-CD |
-KGW (NBC 8 Portland) at K16ML-D
| Channel | Name |
|---|---|
| 8.1 | KGW News |
| 8.2 | True Crime Network |
| 8.3 | Quest (American TV network) |
| 8.4 | Nosey TV |
| 8.5 | This TV |
| 8.6 | TheGrio |
-KATU (TV) (ABC 2 Portland) at K08PZ-D
| Channel | Name |
|---|---|
| 2.1 | KATU (TV) |
| 2.2 | Charge! (TV network) |
| 2.3 | Comet (TV network) |
| 2.4 | TBD (TV network) |
Getting Around Corvallis
Transportation Options
Corvallis is a great city for walking and biking. In 2009, Corvallis had the highest percentage of people who biked to work (9.3%) in the United States. It also had the second-highest percentage of people who walked to work (11.2%). This means more than one in five people in Corvallis used active ways to get to work.
Air Travel
Corvallis Municipal Airport (CVO) is for private and company planes. Famous people like John F. Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey have used this airport.
For commercial flights, the closest airports are Eugene Airport (EUG), about 35 miles (56 km) away, or Portland International Airport (PDX), about 95 miles (153 km) away. Shuttle services are available from Corvallis to both Eugene and Portland airports.
Train Travel
Corvallis used to have a busy passenger train station downtown. It's not used for trains anymore, but it has been moved and is now an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant. If you want to take a passenger train, you can go to the Albany Amtrak Station (ALY) nearby.
Two freight train lines still run through the city regularly.
Bus Services
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You can take long-distance buses like Greyhound from Corvallis. They stop at the Downtown Transit Center and at the OSU campus. FlixBus also offers regional service to places like Eugene, Albany, and Salem.
The Groome Transportation Company also has a "Campus Connector" shuttle bus. It runs between the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis and the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.
Local bus service in Corvallis is provided by three systems: Corvallis Transit System (CTS), Benton Area Transit System (BAT), and the OSU Transit System "Beaver Bus." Since 2011, all CTS bus rides are free!
The CTS system has 12 daytime routes that cover most of the city. They all meet at the Downtown Transit Center. CTS also runs "Night Owl" routes on Thursday through Saturday nights when Oregon State University is in session.
CTS also runs two short routes to nearby towns. The "Linn-Benton Loop" goes to the Albany Transit Center and Linn-Benton Community College. The "Philomath Connection" goes to downtown Philomath.
The Benton Area Transit System (BAT) runs two other routes. The "99 Express" goes to Lewisburg and Adair Village. The "Coast to Valley Express" goes between the Albany Amtrak station and the Newport Transit Center on the coast.
The Beaver Bus is run by Oregon State University. It has three routes that go around the main campus. Buses arrive every 15–20 minutes from 7 am to 7 pm.
Highways
Highway 34
Highway 34 connects Corvallis to I-5, which is a major highway running north and south through Oregon. I-5 is about 10–12 miles (16–19 km) east of Corvallis. If you keep going east on Highway 34, you'll reach Lebanon, Oregon. To the west, Highway 34 goes to Philomath, Marys Peak, and the Oregon Coast.
Highway 20
Highway 20 connects Corvallis to Albany, Oregon. It runs next to the Willamette River for about 11 miles (18 km) northeast. To the west, Highway 20 goes to Philomath and the Oregon Coast at Newport.
Highway 99W
Highway 99W runs north and south. It connects Corvallis to Eugene, Oregon, which is about 44 miles (71 km) south. To the north, Highway 99W goes to towns like Monmouth and McMinnville.
Bridges and Waterways
Corvallis has eight major bridges. Most of them cross the Mary's River or the Willamette River.
- Harrison Street Bridge
- Van Buren Street Bridge
- Willamette River Bridge (Highway 34)
- Mary's River Bridge (Highway 99W)
- 4th Street Bridge (Highway 99W over Mary's River)
- Pacific Highway Bridge (Highway 99W over Railroad in North Corvallis)
- 15th Street Bridge (Over Mary's River to Avery Park)
- Irish Bend Covered Bridge
There are also over 100 smaller crossings for streets and pedestrians. These cross the 13 creeks and 2 rivers that flow through the city.
| Creek | Neighborhoods/ Location | Street/ Pedestrian crossings | Tributary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixon Creek | Glenridge, Timberhill, Northwest & Central Corvallis | 34 | Willamette River |
| Oak Creek | Cardwell Hill, Bald Hill, OSU campus & Southwest Corvallis | 18 | Mary's River |
| Dunawi Creek | Sunset, County Club & Southwest Corvallis | 15 | Mary's River |
| Sequoia Creek | 9th Street & Northeast Corvallis | 10 | |
| Ryon Creek | Crystal Lake, South Town & South Corvallis | 3 | Willamette River |
| Muddy Creek | Country Club & Southwest Corvallis | 2 | Mary's River |
| Mulkey Creek | Bald Hill & West Corvallis | 4 | Oak Creek |
| Alder Creek | Bald Hill & West Corvallis | 2 | Oak Creek |
| Skunk Creek | Bald Hill & West Corvallis | 2 | Oak Creek |
| Village Green Creek | Village Green, Conifer & Northeast Corvallis | 5 | Jackson-Frazier wetlands |
| Jackson Creek | Crescent Valley & Northeast Corvallis | 3 | Jackson-Frazier wetlands |
| Frazier Creek | Crescent Valley & Northeast Corvallis | 3 | Jackson-Frazier wetlands |
| Owl Creek | Colardo Lake, Eastgate, Peoria & East Corvallis | 3 | Colorado Lake |
Biking in Corvallis
The League of American Bicyclists gave Corvallis a gold rating as a Bicycle-Friendly Community in 2011. This means it's a great place for bikes! About 11.2% of workers in Corvallis bike to work. This makes Corvallis one of the top cities in the U.S. for bicycle commuters.
City Services
Water System
Corvallis has a water system with two treatment plants, nine water reservoirs, and about 210 miles (338 km) of pipes. The system can clean about 19 million gallons (72 million liters) of water each day.
One plant gets water from streams near Marys Peak. The other plant gets water from the Willamette River. The city encourages people to save water, especially when reservoir levels are low.
Green Power
Corvallis is a leader in using "green power." This means electricity made from renewable sources like wind or solar. The city buys over 126 million kilowatt-hours of green power each year. This makes up 21% of all the electricity the city uses.
Fire Department
The Corvallis Fire Department has four stations in the city and one in the rural area nearby. They also provide ambulance services for all of Benton County. In 2021, the fire department responded to almost 10,000 calls for help.
Famous People from Corvallis
- Edward Allworth (1895–1966), a Medal of Honor winner.
- Debra Arlyn (born 1986), a singer-songwriter.
- Joseph C. Avery (1817–1876), who founded the town of Marysville.
- Brad Bird (born 1957), an Academy Award-winning animator and director. He directed movies like The Incredibles and Ratatouille.
- Kevin Boss (born 1984), an NFL player who won the Super Bowl.
- Chris Botti (born 1962), a jazz trumpet musician.
- Meredith Brooks (born 1958), a singer and songwriter.
- James Cassidy, a musician in the band Information Society.
- Meghna Chakrabarti, a journalist and radio producer for NPR.
- Robert Cheeke, a bodybuilder and vegan activist.
- Randy Couture, a famous mixed martial artist.
- Meghann Cuniff (born 1983), a legal journalist.
- Morgan Eckroth (born 1998), a barista champion and online content creator.
- Christopher L. Eisgruber, the president of Princeton University.
- Dick Fosbury (1947–2023), an Olympic gold medalist who invented a new high-jumping style.
- Bob Gilder (1950–), a professional golfer.
- Kevin Gregg (1978–), an MLB baseball player.
- Les Gutches (1973–), an Olympic wrestler and world champion.
- Elizabeth Hoffman, an actress.
- Talanoa Hufanga, an NFL player.
- Nick Hundley (1983–), an MLB baseball player.
- Eyvind Kang, a violinist and composer.
- Paul Kocher, a cryptographer (someone who studies secret codes).
- Jon Krakauer, an author and mountaineer. He wrote books like Into Thin Air.
- Wayne Krantz, a guitarist.
- Jane Lubchenco, a marine biologist who led the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- Bernard Malamud, an author whose book A New Life was based on Corvallis.
- Ben Masters (1947–), an actor.
- Ralph Miller (1919–2001), a famous basketball coach.
- Barbara Minty, a model and wife of actor Steve McQueen.
- Rebecca Morris, a bestselling author and journalist.
- Sara Nelson (1973–), a union leader for flight attendants.
- Mario Pastega (1916–2012), a businessman who gave a lot to charity.
- Linus Pauling (1901–1994), who won two Nobel Prizes (one for Chemistry and one for Peace). He went to Oregon State University.
- Putsata Reang, a journalist and writer.
- Jason Reed, an actor and musician.
- Harold Reynolds (1960–), an MLB baseball player and broadcaster.
- Doug Riesenberg (1965–), a former NFL player.
- Mike Riley (1953–), a former football coach for college and NFL teams.
- Nathan Sexton, a professional disc golfer.
- Jordan Smotherman, a professional hockey player.
- Robb Thomas, a former NFL player.
- Ernest H. Wiegand, a professor who helped develop how maraschino cherries are made.
- Carl Wieman, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2001.
- Bushrod Washington Wilson (1828–1900), a pioneer and railroad executive.
- Mike Zandofsky, a former NFL player.
Sister Cities
Corvallis has two sister cities. These are cities in different countries that have a special partnership:
Gondar, Ethiopia
Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine
See also
In Spanish: Corvallis (Oregón) para niños
