In January 2017, Jacksonville Town Historian Larry Smith suggested that the City Council bring back some form of a museum to the Courthouse by using historic photographs to adorn the two long walls and display cases holding town artifacts.
Nine months later, City Councilor and professional photographer, Ken Gregg, got to work on the project. “As a life-long photographer with an interest in history, I have always tried to capture images of people, places and events that represent the essence of a particular place and time. My passion has always been to bring to the foreground what might easily slip into the background if we are not paying attention,” Ken said. With this in mind, he was determined to bring to light the images that tell the story of Jacksonville’s earlier days.
The first step in creating this permanent exhibit was spending weeks at the Southern Oregon Historical Society in Medford perusing the archives of historic photographs. “After picking out over 80 images, I digitally restored them to bring out details in the originals that had been lost and to make them more visually accessible,” he noted.
As these images came alive, Ken began to see stories more than just images: the merchants on California Street, saloon patrons, parade participants, families significant to the development of the town and more. He continued, “I approached the project more as an artist than as an historian, imagining how to make the display visually compelling, easy to follow and alive with images of people instead of just old buildings.” The project was completed on May 4, just in time for the Boosters’ Historic Home and Garden Tour, which included the Courthouse on the tour.
“This exhibit is not only a way to pay homage to the people and events that shaped what Jacksonville is, but also to serve as a reminder that as Jacksonville’s current stewards, we have a responsibility to see that this special town continues to be a rich and thriving community for those who come after us,” Ken concluded.
Visitors and locals are encouraged to stop by the Courthouse and see this amazing display for themselves!