[Back to Formatted Version]

Facilities Services Records, 1888-2010

By Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Nielsen.

Collection Overview

Title: Facilities Services Records, 1888-2010

Predominant Dates: 1930-1990

ID: RG 193

Primary Creator: Oregon State University. Facilities Services

Extent: 373.0 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The records consist of 22 series: I. Architectural Drawings and Plans, 1901-1999; II. Building Project Files, 1938-2002; III. Building Specifications and Reports, 1909-2003; IV. Capital Construction Project files, 1962-1997; V. Facilities Planning and Use Committee Records, 1981-1985; VI. General Construction Files, 1989-1997; VII. Minor Building Modifications Files, 1985-1993; VIII. General Subject Numbered Files, 1968-1991; IX. Committee Records, 1966-2003; X. Correspondence, 1888-2003; XI. Land Ownership and Property, 1940-1951; XII. Policies and Procedures, 1986-1994; XIII. Publications, 1989-2001; XIV. Space Use, 1960-1969; XV. Staff Meeting Minutes, 1992-2001; XVI. Time Records, 1913-1939; XVII. Renderings (Drawings) of Campus Buildlings, 1949-1975; XVIII. Book Plans, 1960-1993; XIX. Lighting (Interior) Study, circa early-mid 1980s; XX. Campus, Farm, and Property Maps, 1899-1900; XXI. Aerial Photographs, 1952-1979; and XXII. Photographs, 1963.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Facilities Services Records document the physical campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis as well as OSU facilities throughout the state of Oregon beginning with construction of the first building on the current campus in 1888. The records consist predominantly of architectural drawings and files for the design, construction, and modification to structures.

Materials documenting the reroofing of the Langton Hall Golf Shed in Series II have been digitized and are available upon request.

Scope and Content Notes

The Facilities Services Records provide in-depth documentation of the physical campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis and OSU facilities throughout the state of Oregon. The records include architectural drawings and plans for structures used in teaching, research, and administration; athletic events; and student housing and dining.

Documentation of the design and construction of major buildings, major renovations, and minor remodeling projects are available in several series and include building specifications, contracts, project manuals, and agreements with architects and engineers. Information about major campus systems, such as electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and heating, are also included. For new construction and major renovations, records of proposals for the Percent for Art public art program are available.

The records include documentation of campus planning; capital expenditures and funding; policies and procedures; land acquisition and ownership; space use; and planning, transportation projects, and other development for the City of Corvallis.

In addition to architectural drawings and plans for individual structures and campus-wide systems, the records include book plans; campus, farm, and property maps; and aerial photographs. The records include plans by numerous architects and designers including John V. Bennes; the Olmsted Brothers; Charles H. Burgraff; Lee Thomas; Burns, Bear, McNeil, Schneider, Bloodworth, and Hawes; Hewlett and Jamison; and Jeppsen and Miller.

The bulk of the records pertain to facilities on the OSU campus in Corvallis. However, materials pertaining to facilities at other locations are also available, including Camp Adair and Adair Village; United States Department of Agriculture buildings at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest; and research vessels, docks, and buildings at the the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.

The Gordon V. Skelton correspondence in Series X includes materials pertaining to Skelton's role as chair of the Civil Engineering Department, including curriculum, graduate programs, and interactions with the Dean of Engineering and other campus administrators.

Accession 2007:095 consists of records generated by Facilities Services that document capital construction, building maintenance, and remodel projects of OSU structures and is made up of architectural drawings, agreements, contracts, correspondence, notes, project manuals, and publications. Also reflected in these records is interaction between OSU and architectural and engineering firms in the selection process for contracts and negotiation of agreements. Included in this transfer are minutes from meetings of the Campus Planning Committee and correspondence about the move of Facilities Services staff to Adams Hall.

Accession 2010:075 consists of architectural drawings/plans, reports, and an aerial photograph collected by the OSU Office of Facilities Services. The two reports in this transfer pertain to square footage of building space on campus and the OSU Campus Historic Preservation Plan. The drawings document construction and renovation projects related to the following structures/sites: the Veterinary Hospital building, the Family Study Center, and Coleman Field. The two drawings generated as part of campus-wide planning reflect sign location and a study of exterior lighting and site furniture.The aerial view depicts campus and a segment of Corvallis (ca. 1997).

Accession 2012:029 consists of materials generated by Facilities Services that document renovation, repair, and maintenance projects for various campus structures and landscape features such as parking lots. Many of these projects pertain to the installation and replacement of lighting, HVAC systems, and electrical wiring. In addition to project manuals and architectural drawings, these records include bookplans, correspondence, photographs, and studies. There are also materials reflecting the management of the project paperwork flow, mission statements for guiding campus engineering staff, and the interaction between OSU and regional energy providers.

Accession 2012:066 consists of materials generated by the Office of Facilities Services that include architectural drawings, budgetary records, building specifications, contracts, correspondence, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, policy statements, project manuals, and reports. In addition to documenting building repair and renovation projects, these records pertain to budgetary management, surveys, safety deficiency correction projects, monitoring of campus water usage, energy system management, parking needs, interaction with the City of Corvallis, awards, staff meetings, and the Oregon State System of Higher Education. Numbering 5030 images in total (1900 prints, 3000 negatives, 130 slides) the photographs depict campus structures, various building renovation and construction projects, Facilities Services staff portraits, retirement parties, award ceremonies, and the office areas of various departments within Facilities Services.

Materials documenting the reroofing of the Langton Hall Golf Shed in Series II have been digitized and are available upon request.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Facilities Services at Oregon State University is reponsible for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of campus facilities and providing a safe environment for faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

Until the early 1990s, Facilities Services was known as the Physical Plant. Until the 1940s, it was common for the head of the physical plant to also be a faculty member in the School of Engineering.

Gordon V. Skelton, a Professor of Highway Engineering, was Superintendent of Surveys, Maps, Roads and Walks, and Fire Protection from 1932 until 1940. From the early 1900s until 1932, he functioned in this role as Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering.

Mark Clyde Phillips, an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, served as Superintendent of Heating from 1910 to 1933 and 1940-1947; he was Superintendent of the Physical Plant from 1933 to 1940. Louis N. Traver served as General Superintendent of the Physical Plant from 1940 to 1947, when Richard A. Adams was appointed to the post. Adams held the position until his retirement at the end of 1971. Subsequent Directors were Everett H. Lillig (1971-1981) and Howard A. Wells, Jr. (1981-1988); and Kathleen Mulligan (1988-1999).

Prior to 1932, there were individual superintendents for heating, buildings, campus and greenhouses, light and power, and plumbing and no general superintendent or head of the Physical Plant.

Administrative Information

Accruals: Additions to the collection are expected.

More Extent Information: 8650 sheets and 271 photographs; 182 boxes, including 14 oversize boxes, and 192 map folders

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: Transferred from Facilities Services (and the Physical Plant) in numerous accessions from the 1970s through 2007.

Related Materials:

The OSU Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC) includes brochures and general information about Facilities Services, information about individual structures, and materials pertaining to campus planning. More detailed information about the construction of some major buildings is available in the records of the corresponding office or department; for example, information about construction and remodeling of the Valley Library (and its predecessors, the Kerr Library and Kidder Hall) are available in the Library Records (RG 009).

Capital Construction Funding Records for 1952-1989 as well as other materials pertaining to buildings and facilities are part of the Business Affairs Records (RG 017).

Additional correspondence of Gordon V. Skelton is available in the Civil Engineering Department Records (RG 030).

Preferred Citation: Facilities Services Records (RG 193), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Processing Information:

We acknowledge that materials in SCARC collections and the language that describes them may be harmful. We are actively working to address our descriptive practices; for more information please see our SCARC Anti-Racist Actions Statement online.

SCARC describes the contents of its collections using the language and terminology of the collections themselves. Since culturally acceptable terminology shifts over time, some of the terms that appear in these materials are currently outdated or offensive.

Historically, "squaw" has been used as a misogynist and racist slur to disparage indigenous American women. Within this historic usage, it has been applied to place names, and scientific or colloquial names for plants. In this collection, the term "squaw" is used in the context of the Squaw Creek, which was located in Corvallis and is a tributary of Mary's River. The creek has been renamed Dunawi Creek.

In order to provide historical context and to enable standardized searching and access across our collecctions, we have retained the use of this phrase in the collection description. We acknowledge the racism represented by this language and the harm it may cause our users. Providing access to these historical materials does not endorse any attitidues or behavior depicted therein. For more information on impacted collections, see the blog post.

[Date of Acknowledgement: December 2023]

Other URL: A preliminary container list for the Facilities Services Records is available online, as is a separate, compiled list of the architectural drawings held in the collection.

Creators

Oregon State University. Facilities Services
Bennes, John V.
Olmsted Brothers
Oregon Agricultural College. Physical Plant
Oregon State College. Physical Plant
Oregon State University. Physical Plant

People, Places, and Topics

Adair Village (Or.)
Architects--Oregon.
Camp Adair (Or.)
Campus planning--Oregon--Corvallis.
College buildings--Oregon.
College facilities--Oregon--Corvallis--Planning.
Engineering--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon.
H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (Or.)
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Oceanographic research ships--Oregon.
Oregon Agricultural College--Buildings.
Oregon State Agricultural College--Buildings.
Oregon State College--Buildings.
Oregon State University--Buildings
Oregon State University. Facilities Services
Public art--Oregon--Corvallis.
Student housing--Oregon--Corvallis.

Forms of Material

Aerial photographs.
Architectural drawings (visual works)
Floor plans.
Maps (documents)
Photographic prints.
Renderings (drawings).


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.