Corvallis in Benton County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
The Corvallis Arts Center
Nash enlisted the railroad bridge engineers to design the church. Many of the building materials were salvaged from the Episcopal girls' school and chapel, which was located in Central Park.
When the parish built a new church on 35th Street in 1961, this old Carpenter Gothic beauty stood empty at the corner of Seventh and Jefferson. The property and building were sold to the Corvallis Elks Lodge #1413.
In 1960, another influential group of Corvallis citizens had begun to explore the idea of an arts council that would serve the area's theater groups, artists, reading groups, musicians, dancers and crafters. Under the leadership of president Marion Gathercoal, the Corvallis Woman's Club began its effort by hosting Corvallis' first community-wide arts festival, involving more than 30 organizations throughout the community and OSU to generate interest. Finally, on September 12, 1961, the Corvallis Arts Council became the 21st arts council organized in the United States and the first in Oregon.
By 1962, the Arts Council was looking for a place for an arts center. Secretary Corrine Chaves Woodman called the Elks Lodge about its vacant church building. Two days later, volunteers began to clean, repair and ready the building for its new use. On January 26, 1963, after months of work, the Corvallis Arts Center celebrated its grand opening in the former church building.
But living in a borrowed building carried risks. In 1967, the building and property were sold again. A new headquarters for the Corvallis Gazette-Times would be constructed on the block that housed the Arts Center. New owner Stan Wilt was willing to give the building to the group if they could move it. The City agreed to donate a lot it owned at Seventh and Madison for the relocated building. Citizens and businesses raised money to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which made it eligible for grant funds.
The building was moved in July of 1970, and reopened its doors to the public on November 21, 1971, at its new location here on Madison Avenue.
The Corvallis Arts center steadily gained the support of the community through memberships, participation, donations and voters' support for stable funding. Finally, in 1979, the 1889 structure was made a permanent part of the town's civic life with the completion of the plaza that connects the Arts Center and Central Park.
The plaza also marked the beginning of many public improvements that would make Madison Avenue a key connection between OSU, downtown and the riverfront.
Erected 2003 by Madison Avenue Task Force.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Churches & Religion. A significant historical date for this entry is January 26, 1963.
Location. 44° 33.864′ N, 123° 15.952′ W. Marker is in Corvallis, Oregon, in Benton County. Marker is on SW Madison Ave, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 700 SW Madison Ave, Corvallis, OR 97333, Corvallis OR 97333, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Madison Avenue (here, next to this marker); First Congregational Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Elementary Schools (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Corvallis Public Schools (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Home of Fred J. Porter (about 300 feet away); The Opera House (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Whiteside Theatre (approx. 0.2 miles away); City Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corvallis.
More about this marker. This marker is one of two located in the Arts Center Plaza in front of the Corvallis Arts Center.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2018. It was originally submitted on May 11, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 180 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 11, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.