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OSU Buildings Histories in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center

Building History

A color image of the West Greenhouses.

 

The West Greenhouses were constructed in 1966, following the construction of the East Greenhouses in 1932. Where the East Greenhouses are used primarily for teaching and instruction, the West Greenhouses exist as an auxiliary campus structure, used primarily for soils science, botany, crop, and horticulture research. The greenhouses are used by the Departments of Horticulture, Crop & Soil Science, Botany & Plant Pathology, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Seed Certification Service, the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, the Forest Science Lab, the OSU Seed Lab, and the US Forest Service. 

General Information

Address

3201 SW Campus Way

Architect

Thompson's Horticultural Works

Year Built

Construction began in 1948 and concluded in 1966

Renovations

West Greenhouse section 5 was constructed in 1997

The roofs were replaced and new glass and aluminum extrusion were installed between 2002 and 2009

Square Footage

96,240 sq ft

Purpose/Usage

Part of the College of Agricultural Sciences - Agricultural Experiment Station, and includes lab space for research and instruction. 

Previous Name(s)

N/A

Namesake

N/A

Historic District

Yes; contributing building

Blueprints

College of Agricultural Sciences

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

Oregon Digital: A search for West Greenhouses yields several results, including historic photographs and mentions of the building in university periodicals. 

Map