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OSU Buildings Histories in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center

Building History

A black and white image of Goss Stadium (Coleman Field).

Coleman Field has been OSU's only home field since varsity baseball began in 1907. It is the longest continuously used field in the Pac-12 Conference and one of the oldest in the nation. The stadium has undergone numerous changes - including multiple renovations and expansions - but the playing field itself has stood in place since day one, with home plate in the same location since 1907. The field was also used for football practice when the adjacent Bell Field, now the site of the Dixon Recreation Center, was the football team's stadium. Although the baseball diamond had been known as Coleman Field since the 1940s, it wasn't formally given that name by the university until 1981. The field is named for former Oregon State player and coach Ralph Coleman, who guided the Beavers for 35 seasons. Lights were added in 2002, and the natural grass turf was replaced with FieldTurf in 2006.

The stadium itseld is named for John and Eline Goss, whose gift to the $2.3 million fundraising effort made the 1998 renovation project possible. John Goss was an Oregon State track and field letterman in the 1930s. The naming of the stadium is also a memorial to his older brother, James Goss, an Oregon State graduate.

General Information

Address

430 SW Langton Place, Corvallis, OR

Architect

AC + Co Architecture (2008 expansion); HNTB Architecture, Inc. (Omaha Room and Casey Corner); Rowell Brokaw (Alumni Room remodel); DLR Group Architecture & Planning (2014 renovations)

Year Built

1907

Renovations

1999 (stadium constructed); 2008 (stadium expanded), 2014 (stadium renovated, beer garden added, locker rooms improved)

Square Footage

seating capacity of 3,587

Purpose/Usage

Home to OSU Baseball and Corvallis Knights baseball. 

Previous Name(s)

N/A

Namesake

Named for John and Eline Goss; John Goss was an OSU graduate and athlete

Historic District

Yes, noncontributing structure

Blueprints

Facilities Services Records, 1888-2003. Series XX:  Campus, Farm, and Property Maps, 1899-1990. Campus and Farm Maps: 3-A

Maps

Facilities Services Records, 1888-2003. Series XX:  Campus, Farm, and Property Maps, 1899-1990. Campus and Farm Maps: 3-A

Oregon State University Campus Maps, 1894-1994

Photographs

Oregon State University Historical Photographs, 1868-1980

Further Archival Information

SCARC: SCARC's holdings include personal papers and photographs documenting the history of Goss Stadium, and personal papers, oral histories, photographs, and university records documenting the history of Coleman Field.

Oregon Digital: Includes images and textual materials documenting both Goss Stadium and Coleman Field.

Map