After struggle, Eugene claimed ‘white elephant’
Unwanted university
benefited city identity
By Carrie Dennett
Emornld Ar.socuits Editor
The University opened ils
doors in Eugene 115 vr.irs ago,
boasting one building and '»(>
students However, had Eugene
residents nnl foughl (or what
was then an unwanted Institu
tion, tile i ity might In* very dif
lerent today
In 17H7 tile legal tools for the
establishment of a state univer
s11v became available from the
S government, hut went un
claimed for M years until a
fast-approaching federal dead
line ( reateii a desperate seen h
lor a i Us to take th«r university
I’he burden was first as
signed to Marysville (now Cor
vo I Us), bill four years litter, in
lit 55. it Was passed on to lark
sons die
Eugene at that time was .1
farming community of about
-it)!) families, and the residents
sass little need for an institu
lion of higher learning Those
who sought more than a pri
marv education simply went to
a church financed sr hool such
is Willamette University
IN! el hod 1st) or l‘at ific t niversi
ty ((’ongregationalist)
Hv 1H77, thr* deadline was
up. and the future university
had become a white elephant
Even Portland declined, not
wanting to "waste" any land
The state then began to ev
plore the option of adding to an
already existing university
II not tor Joshua I Walton, a
Eugene t ire uit court judge, the
university would not have
1 ome to Eugene Walton saw a
need for a university, and
drove Eugene to the point of
This aerial photo of Eugene, taken in 1930, is e view looking west down the Willamette River, with Skinner Butte and the Ferry Street
Bridge in the foreground.
bankrupt! v to get it
Walton formi’il the Onion
University Association, and
proposed to the Oregon Legisla
tore that in exchange lor a site
and a structure worth S5U.000
m ithin two years, hugene
would receive the university
The state university Ixtcamo
attractive to bugene ami Lane
(umnlv residents because it was
viewed as an enterprise that
would bring money lo thu com
munity without the community
expanding much of its own
money, said University Arciii
vest Keith Richards
Richards said that for every
dollar spool at the University,
four to five more dollars are
created in tin! community
Slatefundud salaries were an
added incentive.
After liugeno placed its bid,
other cities jumped into the
ring, assuming that Walton was
onto something
Eugene put a strong lobbying
effort into gaining the rights to
tho university, but it was an
agreement with Corvallis that
turned the tide.
Corvallis had been lobbying
for the university as well, but
Turn to UNIVERSITY, Page 22
INDEX
STUDENT-POLICE RELATIONS:
Members of the Eugene Police Department and some students at the University have seen and im
provement in relations, due in part to the Community Relations Task Force See story, Page 4
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:
What can you legally expect from your landlord9 Where can you go if you have questions or prob
lems about your living conditions? Find out See story, Page 6
GREEN THUMBS:
Although gardening space isn't often available in apartment complexes, the opportunity to grow
fresh vegetables is offered through the Community Gardens program Plots of land are available for
rent in various locations throughout the Eugene area See story, Page 10
GET INVOLVED:
Seats are available on more than 20 committees, commissions and boards that advise city staff
and make recommendations to the Eugene City Council on a wide range of issues
See story, Page 12
COMMUNITY STAFF
SECTION EDITOR: Daraiyn Trappo
GRAPHICS EDITOR: Joff Paslay
CONTRIBUTORS: Meg Dodolph, Carrie Dennett, Dan
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