Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462. Corvallis is the location of Oregon State University. Designated a “Bike-Friendly City”, Corvallis has many miles of bike paths, trails, and roadside bicycle lanes. Many miles of mountain bike trails, ranging from easy to very technical, abound in the outskirts of the city, with the highest concentration present in the Oregon State University research forest (MacDonald and Dunn forests). In 2011 the United States Census Bureau released data from the 2009 American Community Survey showing that, at 9.3%, Corvallis had the highest percentage of bicycle commuters of any city in the United States.

History
Joseph C. Avery settled a land claim at the mouth of Marys River where it flows into the Willamette River in 1845.[5] In 1849, Avery opened a store at the site, platted the land, and surveyed a town site on his land claim, naming the community Marysville. It is possible that the city was named after early settler Mary Lloyd, but now the name is thought to be derived from French fur trappers’ naming of Marys Peak after the Virgin Mary.[6]

In 1853, the legislative assembly changed the city’s name to Corvallis, from the Latin phrase cor vallis, meaning “heart of the valley.” Corvallis was incorporated as a city on January 29, 1857. The town served briefly as the capital of the Oregon Territory in 1855 before Salem was eventually selected as the permanent seat of state government.

Geography
Corvallis is located at an elevation of 235 feet. Situated midway in the Willamette Valley, Corvallis is about 46 miles (74 km) east of Newport and the Oregon Coast, 85 miles (137 km) south of Portland, 30 miles (48 km) south of the state capital, Salem, 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Albany, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Interstate 5 at its closest point, and 48 miles (77 km) north of Eugene/Springfield. Oregon Route 99W, a secondary north-south route, also runs through Corvallis. U.S. Route 20 (which leads to Newport) and Oregon Route 34 (which leads to Waldport about 56 miles (90 km) to the west) both secondary East-West routes run through Corvallis from the Oregon Coast.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.8 square miles (35.7 km²), of which, 13.6 square miles (35.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.23% water.

Demographics
Corvallis is the largest principal city of the Albany-Corvallis-Lebanon CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Corvallis metropolitan area (Benton County) and the Albany-Lebanon micropolitan area (Linn County), which had a combined population of 181,222 at the 2000 census.

As of the 2000 Census, there were 49,322 people, 19,630 households, and 9,972 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,625.6 people per square mile (1,400.2/km²). There were 20,909 housing units at an average density of 1,537.0 per square mile (593.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.03% White, 1.16% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 6.42% Asian, 0.29% Pacific Islander, 2.52% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. 5.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 19,630 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.2% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city the population was spread out with 17.7% under the age of 18, 28.4% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,236, and the median income for a family was $53,208. Males had a median income of $40,770 versus $29,390 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,317. About 9.7% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Religion
A 2003 study, released once every 10 years, listed Benton County (of which Corvallis makes up the majority of the population) as the least religious county per capita in the United States. Only 1 in 4 people indicated that they were affiliated with one of the 149 religious groups the study identified. The study indicated that some of the disparity, however, may be attributed to the popularity of less traditional religions (ones not included as an option in the study) in the Pacific Northwest.

Economy
The campus of Oregon State University, which is the major local employer, is located near the edge of the main downtown area. Other major employers include: Samaritan Health Services, AVI BioPharma, CH2M HILL, Siga Technologies, Evanite Fiber, ONAMI as well as Hewlett-Packard, whose printer cartridge manufacturing and prototyping facility is located in the northeast area of town. Because of this relative concentration of employment and the need for diversity, the city launched a website to attract creative industry to the region by branding it with the slogan “Business is Good Here”.

The National Clonal Germplasm Repository at Corvallis is a gene bank of the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. The gene bank preserves temperate fruit, nut, and agronomic crops from around the world.

Corvallis, Oregon was ranked #48 on the 100 best places in the USA to live and launch a business by Fortune Small Business 2008. This places Corvallis as the second best place in Oregon to launch a business. Portland, Oregon (#6); Bend, Oregon (#87) and Eugene, Oregon (#96) were also ranked in the top 100.

Annual cultural events
da Vinci Days and the annual kinetic sculpture race
Corvallis Fall Festival Annual Arts Party in Central Park. Founded in 1972, 40th in 2012.

Museums and other points of interest
Benton County Courthouse
Hesthavn Nature Center of the Audubon Society of Corvallis
McDonald Research Forest
Peavy Arboretum
Corvallis Arts Center
Fairbanks Gallery

Sports
Corvallis is the location of Oregon State University and home of the Oregon State Beavers athletic teams. Corvallis is also the home of the Corvallis Knights baseball team. The Knights play in the West Coast League, an independent summer baseball league with teams from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. The team plays at Goss Stadium, which is also home to the Oregon State Beavers baseball team.

Parks and recreation
Corvallis is recognized as a Tree City USA. The city has at least 47 public parks within and adjacent to the city limits. Some of them are:

Education
Corvallis is the home of Oregon State University, and the Benton Center campus for Linn-Benton Community College.
Corvallis has a higher education rate per capita than any other city in the State of Oregon.

Media
Corvallis Gazette-Times, daily newspaper
The Daily Barometer, Oregon State University campus newspaper
The Alchemist, an alternative weekly focusing on art, music, and entertainment from reader contributions for content
Corvallis is part of the Eugene radio and television market.

Transportation
Corvallis Municipal Airport serves private and corporate aircraft. The closest commercial air service is available at Eugene Airport or Portland International Airport.

Long-distance bus service is provided by both Amtrak and Greyhound. They both stop at the Greyhound station in downtown Corvallis. Local bus service is provided by Corvallis Transit System (CTS). In 2011 voters approved an additional fee on monthly waterbills allowing all bus service to become Fareless. The system runs a total of eight daytime routes Monday through Saturday, covering most of the city and converging at a Downtown Transit Center. Additional commuter routes also run in the early morning and late afternoon on weekdays, and mid-morning and mid-afternoon on Saturdays. When Oregon State University is in session CTS also runs the “Beaver Bus,” a set of late-night routes running Thursday through Saturday.

Two other short-distance inter-city buses — the Linn-Benton Loop (to Albany), and the Philomath Connection, also stop at the Downtown Transit Center.

Designated a “Bike-Friendly City, Corvallis has many miles of bike paths, trails, and roadside bicycle lanes. Many miles of mountain bike trails, ranging from easy to very technical, abound in the outskirts of the city, with the highest concentration present in the Oregon State University research forest (MacDonald and Dunn forests).

In 2011 the United States Census Bureau released data from the 2009 American Community Survey showing that, at 9.3%, Corvallis had the highest percentage of bicycle commuters of any city in the United States.

Source: Wikipedia, January 2012