Jacksonville, Ore.
(pop. 2,750)
An article written for Yahoo travel claims that Jacksonville is “a refuge from the tourist whirl of Napa”
Just over the border from California in the sunny Southern portion of Oregon sits the small town of Jacksonville. In the early 1960’s it was just considered a ‘poor rundown town’ in the Rogue Valley before locals realized that it had a rich heritage that they could preserve and would draw tourists from far away to visit.
In the old days there was a mock up of an old fort and there were stage coach rides available. I don’t remember how old I was when that all disappeared. In the early 1970’s the movie “The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid” was filmed there. Lots ots of people being really excited about all the big name stars going to be in the Rogue Valley for the filming.
Over the years the area has grown into a major player for growing grapes for wine. The climate here along with the hillside locations allow many different types of grapes to be grown here. A working vineyard I sold several years ago had Chardonay, Cabernet and Syrah grapes as their main crops. The landscape is quickly changing from what I remember as a child. The valley was covered in orchards…pears, apples, peaches….the smudge pots that kept the fruit from being destroyed by spring frost has turned to cleaner methods such as windmills and overhead sprinklers.
The city of Jacksonville is the gateway to the Applegate Valley that is quickly becoming a must-see area for those who love wine and the ambiance of the tasting rooms that go with them. The pace is slower, the wines are amazing and the views are spectacular. There are several tasting rooms right in Jacksonville if you prefer to enjoy the old town ‘flavor’of the the “1800’s” while sipping your wine on a sunny day.
There are great restaurants that showcase local growers, bed and breakfast inss, and music under the stars in the summer. There are no fast food restaurants and the only drive through in town beside one bank is at the local coffee shop that was ‘grandfathered’ in. Many of the streets have no sidewalks or ones made out historically accurate materials.
Jacksonville is on the National Historic Registry for towns and the citizens are committed to keeping the town small. It will be interesting to watch over the coming years to see how the town balances growth and business with the small time charm that it has now. If you love love history and charm, come and visit us. You will be glad you did.
About Jan Garcia
