06/19/24 JACKSONVILLE, OR—Apparently rumors are flying that the roof at Jacksonville’s historic 1870s Beekman House caved in recently. The roof is just fine! It did NOT cave in! We had some ceiling plaster fall in the maid’s room off the kitchen. The ceiling will be repaired later this summer before we open for fall tours. In the meantime, we have simply closed the door to that room while we continue our 19th Century Family Life tours for the rest of the summer.
Our 19th Century Family Life tours of the Beekman House will continue on the first and 3rd Saturdays of the month through August—July 5, July 19, August 3 and August 17. These 30-minute tours offer highlights of the family’s lifestyle, the changes brought about by the 19th Century Industrial Revolution, and Victorian architectural and design innovations. Tours begin every 20 to 30 minutes between 11am and 2pm with costumed docents focusing on guests’ areas of interest. The C.C. Beekman House Museum is located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville. Tour admission is $5 per person, cash or check paid at the door, with all proceeds going to the on-going maintenance of this historic landmark.
The Beekmans were probably the richest and most prominent of Jacksonville’s pioneer families. Cornelius C. Beekman came to Jacksonville in 1853 as an express rider carrying mail, packages, and gold over the Siskiyous between Jacksonville and Yreka. From that humble beginning, he built a business empire based on banking, mining, insurance, and real estate interests. Public service was also an integral part of his life. He was a member of the Jacksonville school board, trustee of the town, Mayor for several terms, Republican candidate for Governor of Oregon and a Regent of the University of Oregon. When the Oregonian newspaper published its 1959 edition celebrating 100 years of statehood, it included a “Who’s Who of the 100 most influential Oregonians during the state’s first 100 years. Beekman’s name was towards the top of the list.
Beekman, his wife and children, owned and occupied the family’s 1870s home for over 75 years. The objects inside were all family possessions accumulated over the years, a rarity when most historic homes are furnished with period pieces. The house itself was a product of Victorian advances in architecture and design, and the Industrial Revolution was a turning point in history impacting every aspect of Victorian life.
For additional information about these or other Historic Jacksonville, Inc. activities, contact 541-245-3650, e-mail info@historicjacksonville.org, or visit www.historicjacksonville.org.