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Jacksonville
was my neighboring town while I lived in the Ashland/Medford area
and it was nice to live so close to a place so much fun to visit.
I love historical sites, and this is one of only 8 cities in the
U.S. where the entire town is designated as a National Historic
Landmark. It began in 1851 as a gold rush town. It was bypassed
by the railroad, and that's probably what has preserved its step-back-in-time
feeling.
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I've been happy exploring this little town. Above is a postcard I
scanned because I never could get this shot good with my camera. This
is California Street as you're coming into the main part of town heading
toward the Siskiyou Mountains. |
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the new houses, like the following in a modern subdivision named Nunan
Square, have a small town feel. The entrance looks like a mini town
square where you might expect to see a brass band playing in the gazebo. |
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picture was taken in late January, following one of Jacksonville's
heaviest snows. Even though the houses were pretty close together,
I liked how well they blended in style and color. |
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Your
first stop should be the Visitors Center which is housed in the
tiny Rogue River Valley Railway Depot of 1891. It's on N. Oregon
& "C" Street next to the post office. Pick up walking
maps that will lead you through the streets pointing out the many
interesting historic buildings and sights along the way. Also check
out the hiking trails that hug the hillside above town with interpretive
signs telling of the gold strikes found in the area.
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This
is the traihead of a very enjoyable hike I did in April that
begins in the hills above Jacksonville. The poster shows pictures
of the "Flowering Plants of the Jacksonville Woodlands
Trails."
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The
next sign wasn't as friendly, telling of mountain lions and
poison oak. |
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it was a beautiful spring day - the wildflowers were in bloom, the
madrones seemed especially colorful, and the town was celebrating
its signature flower, "Gentner's Fritillaria." It's one
of Oregon's rarest plants and it lives in the native woodlands surrounding
Jacksonville. |
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I
didn't see any mountain lions, but the fritillaria were covorting
freely with the poison oak, making it a risky thing to get too
close to them. |
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of Jacksonville's forefathers and Oregon's first photographer, Peter
Britt, arrived in 1852. His settling here contributed greatly to there
being plenty of early photographs and paintings of the area. He was
also the very first photographer to capture Crater Lake in 1874. The
Britt Music Festival is named in his honor, a series of concerts held
in the outdoor amphitheater hidden in the trees above town. I'm hoping
I'll get to see a performance or two when it starts again this summer,
as the music offered is pretty diverse and by well known artists. |
One of my favorite
Jacksonville days was spent on another of its tranquil hillsides...
Visit
the historic 1800's Jacksonville Cemetery
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