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OSU Buildings Histories in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center

Building History

A black and white image of the Kent House.

This residence was purchased by the college in 1930 for use as a home management house. It was demolished in 1991. Kent House was likely built in the 1910s and was located on the east side of SW 26th Street between what are now Ballard Extension Hall and the Oceanography Administration Building. A campus map from 1932 notes that the land parcel was obtained from Kent in 1930, and this is likely where the name of the house originated.

General Information

Address

27 SW 26th St., Corvallis, OR

Architect

Unknown

Year Built

c. 1910s

Renovations

Unknown; likely some were made when the house was purchased by Oregon State to be used as a home management house

Square Footage

3,305 sq ft

Purpose/Usage

Originally built as a private residence, the house was used by the university as a home management training laboratory, and at the end of its life, faculty offices.

Previous Name(s)

None

Namesake

Unknown (likely for the previous owners)

Historic District

Yes; demolished in 1991

Blueprints

None

Maps

 Oregon State University Campus Maps, 1894-1994

Photographs

Gwil Evans Papers; College of Home Economics Photograph Collection

Further Archival Information

SCARC: The Special Collections and Archives Research Center holds several collections documenting Kent House, including recipes in the Oregon State University Memorabilia Collection and the College of Home Economics and Education and Human Development and Family Sciences Department Records.

Oregon Digital: Oregon Digital includes both textual and photographic resources documenting the history of Kent House and how it was used as a home management house for home economics students.

ScholarsArchive: ScholarsArchive contains theses detailing the work done in Kent House, and the other home management houses.

Map