John Vincent Byrne assumed the presidency in November 1984 and served as OSU's twelfth president for eleven years until the end of 1995. Byrne began teaching at Oregon State University in 1960, and his career at the university spanned thirty-five years. He was an early leader of the OSU Sea Grant program and was the director of the Marine Science Center.
This cabin in McDonald Forest outside of Corvallis was built by "his boys" for George W. Peavy in 1935. It was his retreat both during his years as President of Oregon State College and his retirement.