Category Archives: BeaverTracks

Take a walk through history

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BeaverTracks screenshot

Remember last year the OSU Libraries launched BeaverTracks, an interactive mobile guide and walking tour of Oregon State University’s historical locations? As the showers slow and the rhodies bloom, now is a great time to grab your smartphone and head outside! Of course, this is Oregon after all, so if you look out the window and see a storm, you can virtually walk or read about the tour on the OSU Libraries website.

May is Historic Preservation Month and there is plenty to learn about the history of Oregon …

  • The OSU Historic Preservation office, part of OSU Facility Services, has a wonderful site with information and resources about our campus, including the Historic Preservation Plan, Historic Building Map, information about OSU as a National Historic District, and a Photo Gallery with a sampling of images from the OSU Archives Collections.
  • Want to study historic preservation in a more “academicky” manner? The University of Oregon, our neighbor to the south, has a Historic Preservation Program, housed in the School of Architecture and Allied Arts, which offers a Master of Science in Historic Preservation as well as an Undergraduate Minor.
  • The City of Corvallis has had a historic preservation program since 1982, and you can learn all about it on the City web site; it is full of great information about May 2011 activities to celebrate the month, as well as information about permits, contacts, resources, and a bit on the three National Register Historic Districts, Avery-Helm, College Hill West, and Oregon State University.
  • The Oregon Heritage Commission is always good for gobs of information related to all things that support heritage, cultural, and historic preservation related activities in Oregon.
  • Finally, one of my favorite resources is the Oregon Historic Sites Database. It is invaluable for the information it provides based on County, city, or address searches! It also lets you refine your search with the option to only display those properties listed on the National Register.

Enjoy — and lace up your shoes for some walking!

Get out & take a walk …

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Rumor has it that graduation weekend will be full of some much needed sun. And what better way to celebrate the grads and the sunshining sun than with a nice long walk! Check out Beaver Tracks, a Historical Locations & Walking Tour created by OSU Libraries and Archives.

And while you are out and about, head downtown for the “Walking Tour of Selected Historic Sites and Structures in Downtown Corvallis.” Want to know more about downtown? Check out the “Corvallis, Oregon 1811 – 1945 : Historic Context” and the “Inventory of Historic Sites & Structures.”

Oregon Landscapes

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Oh, those beautiful landscapes!

In all the hooplah surrounding the new Beaver Tracks historical walking tour, it was easy to overlook the new set in Flickr Commons … Tragic, for sure, since this set celebrates our state, showing off how much we really love Oregon! Seriously, we love it. There’s something about this state that makes its residents exude unbridled love for their surroundings. Don’t believe me? Find out for yourself. This set consists of thirty-eight shots of Oregon in all of its glory.

All from the Williams Collection, they focus on Oregon’s rich history of forestry and conservation, yet these images do a pretty good job of showing off Oregon’s seasons as well. Taken all over the state, the biggest theme that ties these images together is Oregon’s natural beauty. Relying on their own vintage charm, these images impress us and hope they do the same for you.