During the 1914 to 1925 era, Oregon Agricultural College Professor John Horner assembled
artifacts to fulfill Dean Bexell's vision of a museum on the OAC campus that
would be opened to the public. A number of departments had collected specimens to use in teaching students
of biology and geology. Horner added to
these through his many contacts throughout the state. The heirs of Albany Dr. J. Lindsey Hill gave
his collection of over 1,000 natural history and pioneer artifacts and Donnegan
Wiggins added his collection of firearms. Professor Horner and his friends also
visited Oregon sites collecting remains of prehistoric animals and Native
American artifacts.
On February 20, 1925, the Museum of the Oregon country
opened in the basement of what was then the library (now Kidder Hall) in a
ceremony attended by the Board of Regents, the Hill heirs, faculty and local
dignitaries. At that time, the museum was said to include the collections of
over 500 people.
At the opening ceremony, J. K. Weatherford said he “believed
the time will come when the college can build a splendid new museum building.”
Although Horner continued to seek donations and as the
collection increased, the university moved the museum to larger spaces. The first move, in 1933, was into the “old
gym” (now Gladys Valley Gymnastic Center). In 1936, the museum was re-titled
the John B. Horner Museum of the Oregon Country, later shortened to the Horner
Museum.
Because it was the only museum of its kind in the state
then, it continued to grow, attracting collections from numerous graduates,
faculty, and local residents. It moved again in 1950 to the basement of Gill
Coliseum.
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| Horner Museum under Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, Oregon |
Exhibits included natural history specimens arranged against
a painted landscape,
household artifacts arranged in period rooms,
and tools arranged in a mock tool shed.
State budget cuts lead to closing the museum in 1995 but in
1998 the Benton County Historical Museum agreed to take over the
collection.
The college never did open a “splendid new museum building”
but this year the Benton County Historical Society will do so when it opens the
new museum in downtown Corvallis.
For more on the history of the Horner collection, see
To learn about the new museum, go to http://www.bentoncountymuseum.org/index.php/new-museum/
By
Martha Fraundorf, Volunteer for Benton County Historical Society, Philomath,
Oregon
Where are the artifacts from the original Horner Museum? My family just visited the museum and saw very few exhibits that were in the museum when it was located in the basement of Gill Coliseum.
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