In St. Valentine’s Day in 1859, Oregon became part of the United States of America. Originally, Oregon was founded because of the slavery disputes and it was set up as a refuge from those disputes. The Original State Constitution actually had a ‘whites only’ clause. The probable meaning and reasoning behind that idea was that if no blacks were allowed in the Oregon Territory then there could be no slavery and no involvement with the movement.
Oregon State is in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and even though the largest populous city is Portland, the Capital of Oregon is Salem, which sits in the Willamette Valley. Its earliest known spelling is apparently ‘Ouragon’ and it was mentioned in petition in 1765 to Great Britain, making reference to the Chinook winds around the Columbia River. The word ‘Ouragon’ was said to have derived from ‘Ouragan’ the French word for ‘hurricane’, although there are many other possible derivatives.
The Town of Corvallis
There are many cities in Oregon each with their own histories of how they developed, how they were founded and what they have become. One such city is the City of Corvallis, said to have gained its name from the Latin ‘cor vallis’—meaning ‘the heart of the valley’. It was also said to have been ‘founded’ by Joseph Avery who settled a claim near where the Willamette River meets Mary’s River. Avery named it Marysville, but after a town legislative vote in 1853 the name was changed and has remained ever since.
Corvallis has become more well known as the city that is home to the Beavers—Oregon State University—and has a close rivalry with another university nearby—the University of Oregon and their Ducks. Aside from the educational and sports aspects of the town it has also become a very self-dependent area with businesses to serve most areas of the community. You can restaurants in Corvallis, salons, hardware stores and grocery stores. You can also find automotive stores and collision repair in Corvallis as well as a host of other businesses to suit your everyday needs. With a population close to 55,000 Corvallis has had to become largely self-reliant, to help the local economy and create local jobs for the people who live there.
