For many, the wreath is a symbol of eternity, an unending circle of life, growth, and everlasting life. Traditionally, we post wreaths on our front doors as an invitation to family and friends to join in our holiday festivities. This year, as in years past, SOHS Hanley Farm invites […]
Summer has passed so quickly, especially at Hanley Farm where we held several “firsts” at the farm, including “Summer Thursdays.” Other programs included Shakespeare Garden tours, a mini-Heritage Plant Sale, a Hanley Fashion Show, Family Heritage Fairs, a Siskiyou Violins concert, Ice Cream Socials, a Crafts Fair, and more.
UPDATE […]
We’re excited to announce that acoustic guitarist and solo vocalist Nick Garrett-Powell will perform at Hanley Farm’s August “Picnic at the Porch” concert, delighting us with a collection of acoustic music and extraordinary vocals. Bring a picnic, find a nice spot under the trees or on the lawns, and […]
Hanley Farm welcomes Nick Garrett-Powell’s return at the summer’s first “Cars Under the Stars Drive-In Concert,”on July 1, 6:30-8:30pm (gates open at 5:45pm). A celebrated local acoustic guitarist and soloist, Nick’s music ranges from classics to contemporary. Tickets are $55/per car and includes two glasses of wine and unlimited […]
Hanley Farm’s 2021 signature spring event, the Annual Heritage Plant Sale, will be held LIVE at Hanley Farm! Admission is free. The sale will be setup much in the manner as the 2020 Wreath-Making event—tables will be safely distanced from one another, COVID-19 protocols will be observed and you […]
This April 24 & 25 is Hanley Farm’s signature spring event—the Annual Heritage Plant Sale. The last group plant sale was in 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we needed to consider another, safer approach to the 2020 plant sale. In 2020, the Hanley Farm Event Planning Committee […]
Buon Natale! Happy Hanukkah! Feliz Navidad! Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever your nationality, whatever your beliefs, we wish you all health, peace and happiness—not only for this year, but all the years to come. Peace be with you.
This year we’ve struggled together […]
For Immediate Release: November 16, 2020—With the escalation of the coronavirus in Jackson County, we’ve had to make the decision to change the date of Hanley Farm’s Wreath Making event originally scheduled for November 28. In keeping with Oregon State guidelines for November 18 through December 2, we’ve rescheduled this event to December 5.
The time, […]
The wreath has been a cultural decoration throughout history, and for many it has been a symbol of “eternity, an unending circle of life, growth, and everlasting life.” To the early Greeks, the wreath symbolized “accomplishment and victory.” Today, we traditionally place Holiday Wreaths on our front doors, welcoming […]
It’s October, and that means it’s time to protect your gardens from Ghosties and Goulies! On October 3 & 4, Hanley Farm hosts their annual Scarecrow Festival where families can create scarecrows safely in accord with Phase 2 Covid guidelines that include wearing a mask and observing social distancing.
Here’s […]
In concert with all Oregonians, Hanley Farm and the SOHS continue efforts to stem the curb of the Coronavirus through social distancing, avoiding crowds and, most importantly, wearing masks. Luckily, as we strive to defeat this virus, we don’t have to forgo the pleasures we derive from the Society […]
August 28 the Southern Oregon Historical Society takes you back to an era when drive-in movies were a popular pastime, but with a modern twist – a live concert performance!
Friday, August 28, Nick Garrett-Powell, lead vocalist, guitarist, and mandolinist for the Fret Drifters, performs live at Hanley Farm. Nick will have your hands clapping and […]
We are dealing with a highly contagious virus that travels person-to-person, propelled by a person singing, by speech, a cough, or a sneeze. How do we help curb the spread of the virus? CDC guidelines stress limited contact with others, observing safe distancing requirements, frequent handwashing and/or sanitizing, and […]
UPDATE, MAY 3, 2020—Don’t miss this opportunity to get a bit of history to plant in your garden! Attached is an updated list of Heritage Plants still available for sale at Hanley Farm. If you compare this list with the original Press Release of April 28, you can see selections […]
Spring is here! The sun is out, flowers are in bloom, and it’s time to celebrate!
EVENT CANCELED – Southern Oregon Historical Society’s Annual Heritage Plant Sale, Friday & Saturday, April 25 & 26, 10:00am-3:00pm (gates open at 9:00am on the 25th for SOHS members).
Earlier this year, SOHS volunteers propagated […]
Throughout this tumultuous year, friends and families have visited Hanley Farm, participating in its many events, or picnicking in the shade of the Hanley trees and playing heritage games with their children. It is all of you who have visited and enjoyed Hanley Farm, that enable the Southern […]
The holidays are absolutely here at Hanley Farm! Make your own holiday wreath on Saturday, November 30, from 11:00am-3:00pm, using all-natural materials clipped from the trees and bushes that grace the farm. Wreath-making kits that include all you need will be available for only $15 for non-SOHS Members, and […]
Annual Scarecrow Festival—On October 5 & 6 at the Annual Scarecrow Festival from 11:00am-4:00pm, you can make a scarecrow and enter it in the Scarecrow Contest or take it home to protect your gardens and fields. Be sure to take a hayride, paint a pumpkin, bob for apples, and […]
Break out your love beads, head bands and bell bottom jeans for our September 8 celebration of Woodstock’s 50th anniversary at Hanley Farm. From 2:00-5:00pm, this will be the “far out” event of the summer! In addition to breaking out your bell bottoms and beads, don’t […]
Summer Sundays at Hanley Farm—Have you been looking for ways to spend a Sunday afternoon? Look no further! Every Sunday, the farm is open from noon to 4:00pm for family fun, afternoon picnicking and children’s heritage games, docent-led house tours, and self-guided farm and garden tours enhanced […]
Hanley Farm is pleased to welcome the Rogue Eagles RC model airplane club, “one of the largest and oldest clubs in the State of Oregon.” On Sunday, July 7, from noon to 3:00pm, club members will demonstrate radio controlled airplanes and drones. A perfect day for […]
Historic Hanley Farm, established in 1857, is a picturesque working farm just outside of downtown Jacksonville. Owned and operated by the Southern Oregon Historical Society, the farm’s mission is to preserve the history of the people who settled the land and their contributions to the agricultural […]
May—definitely a busy month at Hanley Farm! Put Sunday, May 26, 1:00-3:00pm on your calendar for the first event in our Sundays at Hanley Farm summer series, “Growing and Propagating Heirloom Plants.” Learn from the experts—Chris Hardy, of Hardy Seeds, will speak about the importance of growing and saving heirloom, bioregionally-adapted seeds; Brad Smith of Feral Seeds discusses plant […]
Southern Oregon Historical Society presents Hanley Farm’s annual Heritage Plant Sale on April 27 and 28, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Earlier this year, SOHS volunteers propagated starts from as many as 70 different varieties of plants from the farm—available for you to purchase and bring a bit of history […]
The Family Nurturing Center’s Farm and Food Program and the Southern Oregon Historical Society will co-host Sundays in Spring 2019 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 7 and 14, and May 5 and 19 at historic Hanley Farm, 1053 Hanley Road, Central Point. Stroll the beautiful gardens, orchards, vineyards and producing fields at […]
2018 was a busy year for us with free guided tours of the SOHS Library Research Library archives which will continue in 2019. Every Saturday, enrich your Library visit with a tour of the archive, one of the largest archival repositories in the State of Oregon. Library hours are […]
SOHS extends a warm thank you to the Oregon Community Foundation, Ben B. Cheney Foundation, Carpenter Foundation, Pacific Power Foundation, Northwest Farm Credit Services, HamCon Builders, the Jackson County Cultural Coalition, and to the sponsors and patrons of the September Roots Music Festival. Your grants and contributions have made it possible to begin repairs on […]
Make your own Holiday Wreath at Hanley Farm on Saturday, November 24, from 10:00am-3:00pm! You will make your wreath using all natural materials clipped from the trees and bushes that grace the farm. Wreath-making kits that include all you need to make your wreath will be available for $15 for non-SOHS Members, and $10 for […]
It’s October, Hanley Farm’s scariest month with Ghosties and Ghoulies and things that go BUMP in the night. And, I must admit, it’s one of my favorite months at the farm!
The 8th-annual Scarecrow Festival is October 6 & 7. You’re invited to join us, create your own scarecrow, and […]
The evenings of October 14, 20 and 21, 2018 – you’re invited to take a dark walk, guided by lantern, through the fields of Hanley Farm. What is it that keeps all the neighbors astir? Who is this strange lady who haunts the Hanley fields? Along your walk, you’ll encounter talkative townspeople, a mysterious cornfield […]
The SOHS “Roots 2018 Music Festival” is just around the corner. On September 8, Hanley Farm will come alive with the music of banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and bass as music ensembles perform in small groups on the lawns, the main stage and the dance pavilion. This year’s “Bluegrass […]
It was a great day at the farm! Our first open-house Sunday featured the Rusty Relics, who answered questions and explained restoration techniques they used to restore the antique tractors on display. Docents conducted house tours throughout the historic Hanley House while visitors toured the Shakespeare Garden—the newest addition […]
Experience an authentic Civil War encampment and tour the […]
Despite occasional downpours, we had a terrific turnout at our annual Heritage Plant Sale. Intrepid gardeners arrived early each day to find that perfect piece of history to add to their landscape. There were as many as 50 different varieties of plants to choose from, including purple and lavender […]
The Gold Diggers are a mainstay of the Southern Oregon Historical Society. Doug McGeary says it best, “The Society would not be the same without them! The quality of the programs is owed to these remarkable women.” In April, the Gold Diggers celebrated their 40th year of service, and […]
Hanley Farm Heritage Plant Sale—This sale is Hanley Farm’s most anticipated and beloved event and takes place on April 28 and 29, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to take home a piece of history to add to your landscape. Once you’ve located your historical treasure, […]
The Annual Heritage Plant Sale at Hanley Farm will be April 28 and 29 from 10am to 3pm. All three generations of the Hanley family, across 125 years, contributed to building the lush and unique landscape that is Hanley Farm today. Volunteers at the Southern Oregon Historical Society propagate starts from as many as 50 […]
Last May, the Southern Oregon Historical Society accepted the donation of Ashland’s “Amphibious Fire Engine” from a Medford family. The engine acquired its curious nickname in the 1948 Ashland flood. As it prepared “to pump out the basement of Weitzel’s department store on the Ashland Plaza, a bridge collapsed […]
This year, Hanley Farm will again host the ever-popular Heritage Plant Sale, second Annual Hanley Farm Music Festival, Haunted Fields/Scarecrow Festival, and Living History Days – and this summer, Hanley Farm will be open every weekend, with a variety of new events, including Hanley House tours. So plan to […]
We credit Germany with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century, when “devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes.” And, in other countries, it was believed that the evergreens would keep away “witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness.” Fact or […]
Add a wonderful tradition to your Holiday activities by making your own wreath: Saturday November 25 at Hanley Farm (1053 Hanley Road between Central Point and Medford), from 11am to 3pm, free admission. Wreath materials are $15 for non-members or $10 for SOHS members. Santa will be there with a fun activity for the children, […]
Wreaths—a fascinating history and beautiful holiday tradition! The word “wreath” is from an English word meaning “twist, such as in a circle.” And, wreath, translated literally, means “a thing bound around,” from the Greek word “diadema.” In Christianity, the wreath was used to symbolize Christ, the “circular shape, with […]
Hanley Farm’s music festival was GREAT! Hundreds of people attended, making the Southern Oregon Historical Society’s 71st anniversary an event to remember. The forecast for the day was 103 degrees, but the weather gods prevailed and it was a cooler 97 degrees, with a slight breeze. Despite the hazy […]
On August 5, 2017, Hanley Farm presents, “Hanley Farm Music Festival,” a fundraiser for Hanley Farm! In addition to great toe-tapping music from five popular local entertainers, there will be food, a Farmer’s Market, children’s games, a Faerie Garden, soda, mead and more beverages, including freshly-brewed lager from Standing […]
Join us for the first-ever Hanley Farm Music Festival. Proceeds from this event will go to the preservation of the largest historical collection in Oregon – and that includes Hanley Farm! Tickets are $20, unless you are an SOHS member or a […]
However one refers to the Civil War—the “War to Preserve the Union,” “War of the Rebellion,” “War to make Men Free,” “Freedom War,” or the “War Between the States”—it preserved the United States as one, indivisible, nation.
In an 1889 study, performed by Union soldiers William Fox and Thomas Livermore, it was reported that approximately 620,000 […]
Welcome to Hanley Farm! Up to and including the month of December, the farm hosts a new event every month!
We began our season April 29 & 30 with the annual Heritage Plant Sale. Hundreds of visitors attended, many lining up before the gates opened, to have the opportunity to choose from over 50 varieties of […]
For nearly 40 years the Children’s Heritage Fair has given children of all ages the opportunity to live like their ancestors. In 2011 the Southern Oregon Historical Society revived the fair at a new location – the historic Hanley Farm. Every year since, the farm has continued this great tradition. Don’t miss this year’s Hanley […]
If you have trouble getting your child to help with household chores, try asking them to imagine what it would have been like to be raised on a farm, let’s say during the late 1800s or early 1900s. With no modern plumbing system, how was water transported from the nearest creek? With no mechanized method […]
It takes a different breed of volunteer, student, and professional, with a burning desire to discover and preserve local history to join an archeology dig. We arrived at Hanley Farm March 31st in unpredictable weather to dig deep into the earth, lift heavy buckets of saturated, compacted mud, and then spray […]