▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁another ▁pet ition ▁was ▁presented ▁seeking ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁S alem ▁to ▁" Cor v all is ", ▁from ▁the ▁Latin ▁meaning ▁" heart ▁of ▁the ▁valley ", ▁while ▁a ▁third ▁resolution ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁upper ▁house ▁seeking ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁Mary sv ille ▁to ▁Cor v all is . ▁ ▁A ▁he ated ▁debate ▁followed , ▁with ▁the ▁name ▁ultimately ▁awarded ▁to ▁Cor v all is ▁in ▁an ▁act ▁passed ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 0 ▁of ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁By ▁way ▁of ▁r ationale , ▁ ▁the ▁name ▁" M ary sv ille " ▁was ▁successfully ▁argued ▁to ▁duplicate ▁the ▁mon iker ▁of ▁a ▁town ▁in ▁California , ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁stage co ach ▁route ▁and ▁that ▁a ▁name ▁change ▁was ▁thus ▁necessary ▁to ▁avoid ▁confusion . ▁ ▁In cor por ation ▁ ▁A ▁fa ction ▁within ▁the ▁deeply ▁divided ▁legisl ature ▁sought ▁to ▁make ▁Cor v all is ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Territ ory , ▁and ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Territ orial ▁Legisl ature ▁initially ▁conven ed ▁there ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁S alem ▁later ▁that ▁month ▁— ▁the ▁town ▁which ▁would ▁eventually ▁be ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁permanent ▁seat ▁of ▁state ▁government . ▁ ▁Cor v all is ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁a ▁city ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 8 5 7 . ▁▁ 1 9 th - century ▁growth ▁ ▁Cor v all is ▁had ▁a ▁three -