Category Archives: State Historic Preservation Office

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!

Historic Sites Database Now Online

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aerial-corvallis-1.jpg

The State Historic Preservation Office has made its master database of historic buildings and sites in Oregon available online. There are almost 45,000 records in the database, including National Register properties, surveys, and inventory records.

“This is still a rudimentary version,” said Roger Roper, the deputy state historic preservation officer. “There are many features we will be adding over the coming weeks, including the ability to run more complex searches and printout both site-specific data and summary data for groups of buildings. Please read the Disclaimer page for details about the limitations and the ‘coming attractions.'”

They are interested in your feedback, so please send your comments to ORsurvey.feedback@state.or.us.