150 years ago
1874
Road closed: We learn that Wiley Norton, who lives just beyond Blodgett’s Valley, has put up two gates on his premises, across the Yaquina Road, and threatens to put locks on them if travelers do not close them after passing through. He claims that the C&Y.B.W.R. Co. has never purchased the right of way through his land. The opening and shutting of these gates is a great inconvenience to travelers over the road, and the matter should receive the immediate attention of the President of the Company. (Published Aug. 7, 1874, in the Weekly Corvallis Gazatte).
Sales pitch: W.B. Barr, of Gray’s Music Store, Portland, visited this city and Philomath, this week, endeavoring to sell pianos and organs. (Published Aug. 7, 1874, in the Weekly Corvallis Gazette).
125 years ago
1899
Louis Southworth: An interesting character has been in town for a day or two. He is Louis S. Southworth, a gentleman of color, who resides on Alsea bay and who was for many years an esteemed citizen of Benton county. He is a man of splendid physique, and carries a head as well proportioned as his body. He first came to Benton in 1851, and most of the interim to the present has been spent in industrial pursuits in this section. He is a violinist of some repute, and for seven years traveled the coast from Arizona to Idaho in company with John Kelly, the noted fiddler. He bears the distinction of having been born on the Fourth of July, and he passed his seventieth milestone last month. He is of a most amiable disposition as well as keen intellect, and his company is prized by those who take pleasure in studying original character. He has served at various times in Corvallis shops as a blacksmith. (Published Aug. 11, 1899, in the Lincoln County Leader, Toledo).
100 years ago
1924
Fire department: At its session Monday evening the Philomath city council purchased 400 feet of additional fire hose. Also as it was necessary to have an additional reel cart the council purchased one from the city of Albany. Albany has ordered some modern fire fighting apparatus and her old apparatus is being disposed of. The cart which originally cost $225 was sold to Philomath for $15. … The city council has been figuring for a long time to make the fire equipment more efficient and felt that it could not be delayed any longer. It is planned also to put in additional fire hydrants in the east end of town to give that part of town better fire protection. Probably another fire house will be built and one reel cart kept near the high school building. The council also ordered that the curb in front of the present fire house be planked with a movable approach and that a sign be put up to prevent parking of cars in front of the fire cart. (Published Aug. 8, 1924, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times).
75 years ago
1949
Annual trek: A crowd of approximately 5,000, braving wind, rain and other disagreeable elements, made the annual trek to Mary’s Peak another big success Sunday according to trek officials. Although the bad weather dampened everything except the spirits of those in attendance, everything went off as planned. Rain which began falling early Sunday morning doubled the work of the Shriners, who were doing the all night job of barbecuing approximately 1,800 pounds of meat. It also made the road from the highway junction to the top somewhat slippery in places and slowed traffic to a slower pace than usual. The air show scheduled for two different periods during the afternoon was entirely blacked out by fog and clouds, with the sun making only a half hearted appearance once or twice during the afternoon’s proceedings. (Published Aug. 11, 1949, in the Benton County Herald).
40 years ago
1984
Bridge controversy: The president of a Monroe lumber company reluctantly has agreed to spend about $65,000 to build a bridge that leads to the timber he wants to harvest. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management says the bridge over Wells Creek was included in a contract with Ralph Hull, president of Hull-Oakes Lumber Co., who is paying another $400,000 for the timber. Hull says he thinks the bridge requirement is an example of government unnecessarily dipping into taxpayers’ pockets. (Published Aug. 6, 1984, in the Statesman-Journal, Salem).