Praying for Oregon Counties: Benton

  

Alsea Falls, Benton County, OR

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psalm 34:11

 Moving south down the Willamette Valley from Polk County, we find ourselves in Benton County. As with Polk, the county was once part of Yamhill, but was partitioned off in 1847. Like Yamhill and Polk before, it originally went all the way to the California border. Benton county was named after Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, who was a staunch advocate of Oregon becoming part of the United States. 

 

Corvallis, which means “heart of the valley,” is the county seat, and my personal experience with Benton is via Corvallis. Home of Oregon State University (Go, Beavers!), this is where both my parents attended college immediately after World War II, and where they met. They married while my dad was still taking classes, finishing his degree in agriculture, while Mom had graduated with a degree in home economics. Oregon State is a national leader in training and research for forestry, agriculture, engineering, education and the sciences. 

 

Education, with OSU and Linn-Benton Community College at Corvallis, supports the county’s economy, along with agriculture, wood products and timber. 

 

In 1941 Camp Adair – called “Swamp Adair” by the soldiers who trained there - was built about six miles north of Corvallis to train troops for service in World War II. Now long gone, during the war years it had a tremendous impact on the county. At a time when Corvallis only had about 14,000 population, the thousands at Camp Adair had an effect on the land, the people and the economy of Benton County. To build the huge base, which became the largest city in Oregon second only to Portland, families, farms and ranches were removed along with the small town of Wells. Entire cemeteries were also relocated. From 1942 -1944 over 100,000 troops were trained for combat there.

 

About five miles west of Corvallis is the little town of Philomath. The name means “lover of learning,” and was built around a school that was established there in 1867 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. In 1853 Reverend T.J. Connor was sent to Oregon with a pioneer group of church members who all settled in Benton County. He established a school a few miles from Philomath at first, which was the only one in the area. Desiring a more centralized location, he built Philomath Collage. In 1889 there was a church split that resulted in a second school, the College of Philomath, being built a few blocks away. This college was in operation for about 23 years, closing in 1913. The original school continued to operate until 1929, then fell into disrepair until acquired by the Benton County Historical Society. They opened the Benton County Historical Museum in the building in 1980.

Benton County Museum

Benton County has a three-person Board of Commissioners who act as the county executives, overseeing county operations. They are elected to four-year terms. Currently the Commissioners are Xan Augerot, Pat Malone, and Nancy Wyse.

 

How do we pray for Benton County?

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

 

Pray for wisdom for the leaders, including the County Commissioners.

With two colleges, the research being done at OSU, and the Philomath history, Benton seems to be a place for “lovers of learning.” Pray for the schools, teachers and professors, for God’s wisdom and direction in teaching and in research.

Margaret