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The Benton County Community
Benton County, Oregon is well known for its focus on families, economy, and the environment, and residents know there’s no place like it. For additional community resources, see our community links.
Benton County History
(From the Oregon Blue Book)
Benton County was established by the Provisional Legislature in 1847. It was named in honor of Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri, who was instrumental in promoting the development of Oregon Country. Nine other US counties were similarly named.
Carved from Polk County, Benton County stretched from the Polk County boundary south to the California border and from the Pacific Ocean east to the Willamette River. Umpqua, Lane, Douglas, Jackson, Lincoln, Josephine, Curry, and Coos Counties were created from portions of the original Benton County (see how the county boundaries have changed).
Today Benton County occupies 679 square miles of the central Willamette Valley and is bordered on the east by the Willamette River and Linn County, on the west by the summit of the Coast Range and Lincoln County, on the north by Polk County, and on the south by Lane County. The city of Marysville, later renamed Corvallis, became the county seat in 1851.
At the time of its creation, Benton County government consisted of two or more justices of the peace acting as county commissioners; a judicial system including circuit, probate, and justice courts; clerks for each court; law enforcement offices of sheriff and coroner; and the tax and finance offices of the assessor, tax collector, and treasurer. In 1972 a home rule charter was passed in Benton County and the governing body of the county became a three-member board of commissioners. See more about county government in the Oregon Blue Book.)
Benton County was created out of land originally inhabited by the Klickitat Indians. All Indian claims to land within Benton County were ceded in the Treaty of Dayton in 1855. In 1862 Corvallis became the site of the Oregon State Agricultural College, known today as Oregon State University.
For more information about the history of the county, download "Benton County, a Brief History and Tour Guide" published in 1975 by the Benton County Pioneer Historical Society or A Historical Overview of the Alsea/Lobster Valley Region of Benton County published in 1986. More historical information is available from the Benton County Historical Society website.
The Courthouse
The first county courthouse was erected in 1854. The second courthouse, built in 1889, is the oldest in Oregon that is still used for its original purpose.
The Benton County Courthouse was extensively renovated in 1976 to restore and preserve the historic character of the building. Nearby buildings house those offices not located in the courthouse.
County Resources
Benton County maintains a small-community feel though its population now exceeds 80,000. With many draws – including quality schools, a thriving local economy, festivals, outdoor recreational activities and cultural events, and a rich history, it’s no wonder many people call Benton County home.
A unique combination of soil and climate has made the Willamette Valley a world leader in seed and specialty crops, as well as the production of Christmas trees. Grass and legume seeds, dairy, sheep, plywood, lumber and paper are important local products, and we have an exciting, well-respected and growing wine industry.
While the Willamette Valley is the most diverse agricultural area in the state of Oregon, it is also the home of the majority of the population. Located in the western region of the mid-Willamette Valley, Benton County is situated an hour inland of the Pacific Ocean and two hours west of the Cascade Mountains. It includes many notable natural amenities such as Marys Peak, the highest peak in Oregon’s Central Coast Range, Alsea Falls, William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, Peavy Arboretum, McDonald Forest, Beazell Memorial Forest, and Jackson Frazier Wetland.
Its natural beauty isn't Benton County’s only asset. For a second time, Benton County has been ranked the No. 1 Oregon county for child well being by the Oregon Progress Board, which monitors the progress of each county in meeting state benchmarks.
The County seat is located in the City of Corvallis, which is the largest city in the County. Other cities and communities include: Adair Village, Albany, Alsea, Alpine, Bellfountain, Blodgett, Monroe, Philomath and Wren.
Corvallis is the home of Oregon State University (OSU), which attracts thousands of students from across the state, nation and world. OSU is well-known for its engineering, forestry, agriculture, pharmacy and veterinary programs. It is a center for community cultural events, as well as the site of many Pacific-10 Conference athletic competitions. The OSU Beaver Baseball Team won the 2006 and 2007 College World Series. Go Beavers!
Some other sources of information:
- Oregon Blue Book Demographic Information
- Corvallis Tourism
- Corvallis Chamber of Commerce
- Philomath Chamber of Commerce
- Port of Alsea
Economy
Benton County’s diverse economy is based largely on agriculture (Christmas trees, seed crops, dairy and sheep), lumber and paper, advanced technology, tourism, and a newly emerging wine industry. Providing health care services to the region, Benton County is also home to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Samaritan Health Services and the Corvallis Clinic.
While wood products, agriculture and tourism continue to be major industries in the state, high technology is the fastest growing. Corvallis has the largest Hewlett-Packard site in the world and more than 25 software companies ranging in size from Summit Information Systems with more than 300 employees to one-person operations. Corvallis benefits from its identity as a college town and has a workforce that is among the most highly educated in the Northwest.
(From the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce)
Area Activities
Fishing, hunting, cycling, snow sports, river sports, tennis, golf, airport, theater, Oregon State University sports and cultural events.
An early indication of the popularity of bicycling here was the formation of the Corvallis Cycling Club in 1894 and the establishment of several bicycle shops in downtown Corvallis in the 1890s.
Activity Links:
- Benton County Fair & Rodeo
- Boys and Girls Club
- City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation
- City of Philomath Parks
- Corvallis Senior Center
- County Natural Areas and Parks
- Oregon State Parks
- Philomath Youth Activities Club
Annual Festivals and Events:
- Benton County Fair and Rodeo (Aug)
- Corvallis Fall Festival (Sept)
- da Vinci Days Festival (July)
- Philomath Frolic & Rodeo (July)
- Downtown Corvallis (July)
- The Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire (Sept)
Weather
The climate of the Willamette Valley is relatively mild throughout the year, characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.
Western Oregon has a predominant winter rainfall climate. Benton County’s annual rainfall is approximately 40 inches. Average high summer temperatures are in the 80’s, with average winter daytime temperatures in the mid 40’s. Snowfalls average just less than five inches per year.
(See current local weather at weather.com)
Conditions for Corvallis, OR at 10:35 pm PST
Current Conditions:
Fair, 36 F
Forecast:
Fri - Mostly Clear. High: 55 Low: 30
Sat - Sunny. High: 54 Low: 31
Full Forecast at Yahoo! Weather
(provided by The Weather Channel)
For a comprehensive list of community resources and attractions, check out our links page.
