August 17, 2017 – The Southern Oregon Historical Society is pleased to announce the donation of Ashland’s “Amphibious Fire Engine.” The engine acquired its unusual nickname during the 1948 Ashland flood. While preparing to pump out the basement of Weitzel’s department store on the Ashland Plaza, the bridge at the entrance to Lithia Park gave […]
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 […]
UPDATE JULY 9, 2017: Locals and visitors agree that the new US Hotel Balcony is incredible! Just completed this weekend, the 3-month-long, $223,000 restoration project was done by Justin Caprari Restoration and includes an entirely new steel-reinforced structure, floor, railings and gutters.
Just in time to celebrate July 4th, the reconstruction […]
Step behind the counter of the oldest bank in the Pacific Northwest this summer when Historic Jacksonville opens the 1863 Beekman Bank for public tours from 11:00am to 4:00pm, Thursday through Monday, through Labor Day. Over $40 million in gold crossed the bank’s counters during Jacksonville’s heyday in the second half of the 19th Century—worth […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR – Jacksonville Haunted History walking tours continue on Friday, July 7, 2017, with a new tour route that takes in Jacksonville’s historic courthouse and jail. At 7, 7:15, 7:30, and 7:45 pm, costumed docents will lead 1-hour walks that include stories of brothels, epidemics, and hangings. These tales of woe, sorrow, and regret […]
July 8 and 9 the Cascade Civil War Society has teamed with the Southern Oregon Historical Society to present “Living History Days” at Hanley Farm. As you visit a civil war encampment, you’ll get a feel of the life of a soldier. What did a soldier eat? How did they treat their wounded?
Costumed interpreters help […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR – Join Historic Jacksonville, Inc., local craft guilds, and hobbyists for a Victorian Day of Hobbies & Crafts from 12 noon to 4 pm on Saturday, June 17, at the 1873 Beekman House Museum located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville.
“The Industrial Revolution meant increased leisure time for most upper and middle […]
On Saturday, June 10, 2017, from 11am-3pm, 2017, the McKee Bridge Historical Society will host a GRAND CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION on the bridge and in the park with a variety of activities and events. After two years of not having the traditional McKee Bridge Day due to restoration work and an aging committee, we are pleased […]
Time travel to 1932 on Saturday, May 27, 2017, when Historic Jacksonville, Inc. invites you to interact with Beekman family members, relatives and friends! Cornelius Beekman was the most prominent and wealthy of Jacksonville’s pioneeers. His children are now closing up their 1873 Jacksonville home, going through family belongings, commenting on current affairs, and sharing memories […]
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 […]
On Saturday, May 20, 2017, Historic Jacksonville, Inc. kicks off a season of Victorian Days events at Jacksonville’s Historic Beekman House Museum with “Victorian Art & Décor: From Comfort to Excess.” By the late 1800s, the sparsely furnished parlor of pre-Civil War America had been supplanted by public rooms crowded with furniture and display items.
Cornelius […]
Where do you begin? What’s the first step to take to learn about your ancestors? What’s a family tree? Get the answers to these, and a myriad of other questions, when you attend the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society FREE classes, “Introduction to Genealogy.”
In the first class, May 13, guest speaker Denise Salthouse covers the basics […]
Beginning Friday, May 5, 2017, ghosts and spirits from Jacksonville’s pioneer past will again be the subjects of Historic Jacksonville’s Haunted History walking tours. On the first Friday of each Month from May through September, costumed docents will share notable tales of woe, sorrow, and regret at 7, 7:15, 7:30, and 7:45 p.m. These approximately […]
The balcony on the US Hotel balcony is being replaced/rebuilt. Work on the US Hotel balcony will begin around April 3rd, 2017 and will take 3 months to complete.
There will be pedestrian access off the sidewalk into the parking spaces and under the scaffolding.
Some of the parking spaces in front of and along […]
On Saturday, June 10, 2017, from 11:00am-3:00pm, the McKee Bridge Historical Society will host a GRAND CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION on the bridge and in the park with a variety of activities and events. After two years of not holding the traditional McKee Bridge Day due to restoration work and an aging committee, we are pleased to […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR—On Sunday, April 9, 2017, Northwest Troubadour David Gordon will be sharing the music and stories of influential 19th Century poets and composers, many of whose names have been lost to history—because they were women! Gordon brings both their music and their stories to light in “Women Poets & Ballad Composers,” the fourth concert […]
The popular touring documentary concert Romancing the West returns to the City that inspired it for a special dinner show at Jacksonville Inn on Sunday, April 2nd, 2017 at 5:30 pm. Romancing the West Legacy Tour launched in 2013 has toured ever since, from the West Coast to Midwest shows this past September and this […]
April 7 & 8, 2017, the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society is sponsoring a 2-day workshop and seminar, “Gateway to Germany.” Guest speaker, Warren Bittner CGSM, Author, Genealogical Researcher & Historian, has over 30 years of research experience in several fields, including research methodology, German Genealogical Research, Gothic German Script, and German Immigrant Research. Seating is […]
The fourth Tuesday of every month, the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society presents “Quilts & Genealogy Talks.” When you attend these programs you’ll learn about the history of one or more quilts. Sometimes the research in to the history of a quilt leads to genealogical clues! February 28, six different speakers share their story of a […]
Vicki Bryden, long-time SOHS Volunteer, speaks about Author Edison Marshall, his books and his accomplishments. He came to Medford as a boy with his father, who bought into the orchard boom. Fulfilling his childhood dream, he became a successful writer and had over sixty novels published, including his 1953 novel, “Caravan to Xanadu, a Novel […]
Kicking off the 2017 Windows in Time lunchtime history talks, historian Bill Miller will present “Writing the Great War: Southern Oregon Letters and Stories from WW1,” at the Medford Branch Library, 205 South Central Avenue, on Wednesday, January 4, and the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard, on January 11, from 12 noon to 1 […]
Over the centuries, decorating Christmas trees and homes for the holiday season has become a tradition. Early Christmas trees were adorned with paper roses, lit candles, wafers, nuts and sweets.
December 26 & 27, 2016, travel back in time as you tour the Hanley Farmhouse. Costumed docents will guide you through […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR—Historic Jacksonville, Inc. will celebrate the Victorian Christmas Boxing Day tradition on Monday, December 26, when all Victorian Christmas tours of Jacksonville’s historic Beekman House will be $2 per person with a canned good donation for ACCESS. If visitors pay full price ($5 for adults, $3 for seniors or students), all tour entry fees […]
Due to the disappointing defeat of the Heritage District Measure 15-164, the Board of the Southern Oregon Historical Society, a 70 year-old Oregon institution, is forced to reorganize its operations. In a letter to Society members, SOHS President Doug McGeary stated that, “While our partners of the Southern Oregon Heritage Association have promised to struggle […]
MEDFORD, OR—At its 2016 Annual Meeting on Sunday, September 25, the Southern Oregon Historical Society honored six individuals whose volunteer efforts received accolades from the organization’s trustees, staff, and other volunteers. Two recipients were acknowledged as Volunteers of the Year; three recipients were recognized for their impact as New Volunteers; and one individual was singled […]
Many of us learned history as names, dates, places, and battles, memorized and regurgitated for a test, and then promptly forgotten. But that’s only a very small part of history. History is really about people and their stories!
The only things I remember from a U.S. History course is that there were four cows for every […]
The Southern Oregon Historical Society is pleased to announce the October event for its monthly Tales from the Collections program. The program will take place at SOHS’s History Center in downtown Medford (106 N. Central Ave.) on Saturday, October 22, 2016 from 10am to 12pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Pinto Colvig […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR – The Victorians created elaborate rituals around the passing of a loved one. Death was considered part of life’s texture, giving it essential meaning. Join Historic Jacksonville at the 1873 Beekman House between 11am and 3pm on Saturday or Sunday, October 15 and 16, to explore how Jacksonville’s most prominent pioneer family honored […]
Three haunting nights in October, Hanley Farm hosts the “The Boogeyman’s Bride,” presented by the Southern Oregon Historical Society and the Crater High School Renaissance Academy. Lantern-bearers lead groups through the farm’s dark corn field and woods, as the drama unfolds about the Boogeyman’s Bride’s deep . . . dark . . . secret. Suitable […]
Join Historic Jacksonville, Inc. on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8, for the final Jacksonville Haunted History walking tours of the season. These tours have been so popular that we’re now offering five tours each night!
These approximately one-hour docent-led tours leave from the Jacksonville Visitors Center at the corner of North Oregon and C […]
The Jackson County Courthouse which stands proudly at 206 N. 5th Street was constructed in 1883-1884 and served as the seat of county government until 1927. The two-story building is a wood frame structure made of brick and stone, constructed on the former site of Jacksonville’s Masonic Lodge. The building is in the “Italianate,” style, […]
For the past ten years, the pioneers of Jacksonville have been brought back to life each October, through dramatic “Meet the Pioneers” reenactment performances in the Jacksonville Cemetery. The grassroots community event has grown each year, with hundreds of visitors trekking up the hill above the gold rush town in small groups to enjoy historical […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR—Americans were on the move during the second half of the 19th Century! In the span of 50 years, transportation options advanced from horseback, wagon or buggy, stagecoach, and sailing ship, to railroad, steamship and automobile. And Jacksonville’s pioneer Beekman famly experienced them all! View antique cars and learn about the rapid changes in […]
The Southern Oregon Historical Society is pleased to announce the July event for its monthly Tales from the Collections program. The program will take place at SOHS’s History Center in downtown Medford (106 N. Central Ave.) on Saturday, July 23rd, 2016 from 10am to 12pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Join SOHS’s […]
Join Historic Jacksonville, Inc. at 7 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 8, for Jacksonville Haunted History walking tours. These approximately one-hour docent-led tours leave from the Jacksonville Visitors Center at the corner of North Oregon and C streets and include some moderate elevations. Tours are limited to the first 15 people. The cost is […]
The historic Beekman Bank is again open for business with docents accepting “deposits” to help preserve and share local history. From 11:00am to 4:00pm, Friday through Monday, the public is invited to step behind the counter of the oldest bank in the Pacific Northwest. Located at the corner of California and North 3rd streets in […]
The Rock Point Cemetery dates from the 1860’s White Family cemetery, near their stage coach stop, now known as the Del Rio Winery area. Over a hundred years ago, the White family donated about 26-1/2 acres of land for a cemetery in the Rock Point district a few miles west of Gold Hill. The Birdseye […]
Living History Days return to the Southern Oregon Historical Society’s Hanley Farm from 11am-4pm, July 16 and 17, 2016!
A wagon ride will take you back in history. The Cascade Civil War Society will hold an encampment and share their characters and stories with visitors. Fire off the canon if you dare!
Tour the Hanley Home and […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR— Time travel to 1932 on Saturday, June 25, 2016 when Historic Jacksonville, Inc. brings the 1873 Cornelius C. Beekman House to life with Living History Tours at 12 noon, 1:30 pm and 3 pm. The Beekman House is located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville.
The country is deep into the Great Depression. […]
Join Historic Jacksonville, Inc. and local craft guilds for an afternoon of Victorian Hobbies & Crafts from 12 noon to 4 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at the historic 1873 Beekman House located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville.
“The Industrial Revolution meant increased leisure time for most upper and middle class Victorians,” explains […]
Medford, Oregon (May 16, 2016) — Jackson County Library Services and the Southern Oregon Historical Society are proud to announce the June topic in the 2016 Windows in Time history series: “From Jacksonville to Hollywood: The Life of Pinto Colvig.” This noon lecture will be presented by local historian, Ben Truwe on Wednesday, June 1, […]
Step back in time on Saturday, May 28, 2016, when Historic Jacksonville, Inc. brings the 1873 Cornelius C. Beekman House to life with Living History Tours at 12 noon, 1:30 pm and 3 pm. The Beekman House is located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville.
It’s 1932. The country is deep into the Great Depression. […]
The Southern Oregon Miniaturists join Historic Jacksonville, Inc. on Saturday, May 21, 2016, to kick off the 2016 season of events at the 1873 Cornelius C. Beekman House located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville. From 12 noon to 4 p.m. Victorian costumed docents will offer house tours every 15 minutes, sharing information on […]
Help Wanted: Outgoing individual(s) for part time docent position in Jacksonville’s Historic Beekman Bank Museum from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Docent(s) will be responsible for opening and closing Bank, overseeing artifacts, sharing bank and local history with the public, and highlighting local activities and services. 2 shifts available: Fridays & Saturdays and/or […]
The Southern Oregon Historical Society is pleased to announce the Annual Heritage Plant Sale at the Historic Hanley Farm, May 7 and 8, 2016 from 10am to 3pm. Hanley Farm is at 1053 Hanley Road between Jacksonville and Central Point. Admission is free.
Three generations of the Hanley family lived on and worked this farm starting […]
Join historian Dirk Siedlecki at Jacksonville’s historic cemetery on April 10, 2016 from 11am to 1 pm. Learn about the early history of the cemetery and about many of the souls who rest in this Silent City on the Hill. Meet your Docents at the top of the Cemetery Road near the flag pole. This […]
This month, Boosters Club President Mike McClain generously donated his column space so I could tell you about our upcoming Historic Home and Garden Tour happening in May. Our theme this year is “Unique Jacksonville…Enjoy our Past, Savor our Present,” offering a very special and exciting home and garden tour lineup!
The tour dates are Saturday, […]
Southern Oregon Historical Society announces the spring Miles Through Time Road Trip exploring historic Jackson County orchards on Sunday, April 17, 2016. The Road Trip starts at 9am (site to be announced) and ends at 1pm or 2pm, depending on pace.
Jackson County boomed when the Oregon and California Railroad opened up new markets for local […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR—Historians have called the American Civil War “a musical war,” and Confederate General Robert E. Lee once remarked that without music, there would have been no army. On Sunday, April 10, 2016, folk singer and historian David Gordon brings the music of the Civil War to life through original songs from the era along […]