Corvallis College Benefit Broadside, 1859

Corvallis College, the predecessor institution to Oregon State University, was incorporated in 1858 as a coeducational institution of primary and preparatory education. Plagued by financial instability, the College changed hands several times and added college-level coursework in the 1860s. In 1868, Corvallis College was designated and adopted as the agricultural college of the State of Oregon by the Oregon Legislative Assembly and given land grant status.

The December 31, 1859 issue (number 48) of the Oregon Weekly Union includes a notice that a company of amateur performers will give a benefit entertainment for Corvallis College that evening and states, "It is rumored that some of our prominent citizens will appear."