Cornelius, Oregon sounds more like the name of a Victorian adventurer than an area. The "Victorian" is right because the city was incorporated in 1893. So is "adventurer" because T.R. Cornelius fought in five battles before becoming a colonel and then serving in the Territorial Legislature. He eventually established a warehouse and store to develop the community that eventually bore his name.
The city sees itself as "Oregon's Family Town" because it's a place where grandma, mom and pop, and little Johnny and Mary can stroll into area grocery stores and call everyone by their first name. Among the surrounding patchwork of green and brown agricultural field, the community's splotch of gray offers shopping and restaurants. For more fun, try one of the nearby wineries, pick-your-produce farms, or the golf course.
Moving to Cornelius
The rental application standards for Cornelius are typical of leased accommodations throughout the city. You need at least two years of unbroken and positive rental history that can be verified with a third-party landlord. This can be overlooked if you were a student, owned a home, were in the military, or lived with parents.
You must have an acceptable credit history going back at least three years, during which you had no bankruptcies, unpaid collections, or judgments. A criminal history involving illegal substances, gambling, prostitution, or danger to life and property will be evaluated and deny your application. You may be automatically kicked off if you have a history of disturbing the peace or not paying rent, or were evicted within the last five years.
Neighborhoods
Pacific Avenue, which becomes SW Baseline Street as it runs from west to east, is the convenient dividing line between the two main neighborhoods of the city.
Northern Cornelius: If you want to be where the action is, as far as that term can apply to this city, then this is the part of town where you want to find places to rent. Aside from containing all the rental apts in Cornelius, this neighborhood has small apartment buildings and single-family homes ranging from studios to four bedrooms. Most homes here hail from 1970 to 1999 with the next biggest construction chunk from 1940 to 1969. The Walmart is in this area. So is Fred Meyer, the cineplex and scores of stores and businesses. Most of the eateries and bars line up on Pacific Avenue / E Baseline Street. City Hall and an elementary school also live here. Tree-lined streets make this neighborhood quite walkable, although sidewalks may only appear on one side of the road. Council Creek provides respite, but unless you're on a bridge, the waterway is difficult to see because it's surrounded by heavy greenery.
Southern Cornelius: The rental homes in Southern Cornelius consist of single-family houses and condos with roughly the same characteristics as properties in the north. However, this area is more rural with over 50 percent consisting of agricultural lands. Located here are the city's famed wineries, the Tualatin River, and Sewage Lagoon, which, despite its fearsome name, consists of clean water on which migratory birds can relax while visiting the surrounding Fernhill Wetlands.
Things to Do in Cornelius
You can indulge in your passion for fine wine by visiting three area wineries: Ardiri, Blooming Hill, and Gresser Vineyard. All offer opportunities to sample or buy their selections either on-site or online. Ardiri, for example, is accessible to wheelchairs, dog friendly, and has covered patios and picnic areas.
To go with your favorite drink, why not dine on some fresh produce from local farms? In the summer, some allow you to pick not only strawberries, but also gladioli, dahlias, and other flowers. Duck's Peachy Pig Farm is an example of pick-your-own fun for all kinds of berries, peaches, tomatoes, corn, walnuts, and filberts. You can also commune with bunnies, chickens, horses, a llama, and an emu. At Oregon Orchard Hazelnuts, try the roasted, salted, chocolate-covered, and hickory-smoked hazelnuts for which the state is famous. In October, A Maze In Grace Gardens opens its gates for pumpkin-picking, free hay rides, and a corn maze.
Care to indulge in some outdoor activity with your food? Forest Hills was built in 1927 and features 18 challenging holes. The city maintains about a dozen parks and open parcels. Harleman Park contains such facilities as baseball fields, soccer fields, shelters, and a stage.
