150 years ago
1874
Broke down: The Yaquina stage met with an accident, near Blodgett’s valley, last Tuesday, owing to the fact that those two “heavy” men — Mart. V. Brown, of Albany, and W.W. Martin, of Salem — were passengers. Nothing broke but the “king-bolt,” and that defect would have been easily remedied if the General hadn’t lost his cane, while paying his addresses to a young lady, at Albany, just before starting. The stage came on to Philomath, where the damage was repaired. (Published Aug. 14, 1874, in the Weekly Corvallis Gazette).
125 years ago
1899
College president: Prof. P.O. Bonebrake, the newly called president at Philomath college, is comparatively a young man, having been born in Iowa in 1864, in which state he received his earlier education. … Prof. Bonebrake comes to Philomath College with the aids of a strong constitution, a prepossessing presence, a ripe scholarship and an experience of travel and in the occupancy of important official positions eminently fitting him for the office. His marked individuality and decided character will greatly help to bring the future glories of Philomath college to eclipse those of the past. (Published Aug. 16, 1899, in the Daily Journal, Salem).
100 years ago
1924
Horner lecture: Professor J.B. Horner will give an illustrated lecture on Palestine at Beulah, three miles south of Philomath, Friday evening. Professor Horner is well known as an interesting lecturer, and a very good attendance is expected. A pie social will be held after the lecture. The proceeds will go to the relief fund for the people of Lorain, Ohio, left homeless by the tornado which struck the city on June 28th. (Published Aug. 14, 1924, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times).
Annual picnic: The annual Sunday school picnic of the College church will be held at Rock creek on Tuesday, August 19th. Autos will leave the college at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is invited. (Published Aug. 19, 1924, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times).
75 years ago
1949
Truck accident: Sam Steven Place of Waldport narrowly escaped serious injury about 11 a.m. August 16 when the lumber truck fully loaded tipped over in the ditch on the Alsea highway about four miles west of Philomath near the Greasy Creek bridge. When Deputy Sheriff Aaron Dearing observed the accident after it happened the truck was bottom side up with the wheels in the air. Questioning Sam Place on the mishap, Deputy Dearing was informed that the truck driven by Place was trying to avoid hitting a car in the road and in doing so the truck tipped over. To avoid hitting the car, Place piled his truck into the side of the road and into the ditch. When it hit the ditch it tipped completely over. Fortunately, no one was injured in this accident, pointed out Dearing. The truck owned by Johnny Newman of Waldport was not seriously damaged. (Published Aug. 18, 1949, in the Benton County Herald).
40 years ago
1984
Philomath omitted: Don’t count on the American Automobile Association’s Oregon Tour Book if you’re looking for Philomath. The Benton County town isn’t there, and the City Council says — tongue firmly in cheek — that is “a travesty of physical geography” and “a moral outrage” to the 2,700 citizens. It’s the eighth straight year Philomath has been left off the Tour Book’s map. But the AAA says it won’t happen again. Declaring that “enough is enough,” City Council members voted unanimously Monday to subject all copies of the guide to “immediate detention and amendment” to change “the public misinformation” contained in its pages. “Any non-citizen found to be in possession of an unamended copy of said burlesque tour book shall be directed or conducted to a source of accurate and reliable information” by any Philomath citizen, the council’s resolution said. “We wanted to chide the AAA a little bit” for withholding almost all mention of Philomath from the Oregon Tour Book, said Councilman Paul Dillon, who wrote and introduced the resolution. The latest edition of the tourist’s guide lists the Benton County Historical Museum, owned by the city and located in the center of Philomath, under its “Corvallis” heading, Dillon said. (Published Aug. 15, 1984, in the Oregonian, Portland).