Jacksonville

From Ashland, head north on E. Main, which becomes N. Main, then Hwy 99. Just past the town of Phoenix, turn left on South Stage Road and follow the well-placed signage for 6½ miles to historic Jacksonville, population barely over 2,000. The short stretch of rural road leading you to town is absolutely lovely: rolling hills, pear and apple orchards, ranches, and well-manicured vineyards. In 1851, two prospectors en route to California discovered gold unexpectedly along a creek in this area, and by 1853, little Jacksonville had become the county seat. Farmers, merchants, bankers, and saloon innkeepers prospered. The Oregon-California Stagecoach Line ensured lots of traffic to keep the budding economy strong, but in 1884 the railroad replaced the stage and bypassed Jacksonville altogether. Adding insult to injury, the county seat moved to Medford in 1927 and Jacksonville was doomed to obscurity. In 1978, however, the town was recognized as a National Historic Landmark District on the National Historic Register and today is Oregon’s most extensive and complete example of a late 19th-century mining community. Only eight towns in the whole U.S. carry this distinction. Walking tours past historic sites are detailed in brochures that you can collect at the Information Center at the Rogue River Valley Railway Depot, corner of Oregon and “C” Streets. (May to September hours: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm, weekends from noon to 4 pm; all other times of year: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, Saturdays from noon to 4 pm; 541-899-8118, www.jacksonvilleoregon.org.) Park your car and stroll up and down the streets. The town is very small, so it’s easy to get around on foot. Be sure to visit the unusual Jacksonville Cemetery, where plots are clustered by religious denomination, including Jewish, Masonic, and Catholic sections. The first burial took place here in 1859. Each year from mid-June to September, Jacksonville hosts The Britt Festivals (www.brittfest.org), long considered the Pacific Northwest’s premiere outdoor summer performing arts festival. Britt presents dozens of summer concerts, featuring world-class artists in jazz, folk, country, pop, dance, and classical music. Its performance venue is a naturally formed amphitheater set among majestic ponderosa pines on the beautiful hillside estate of 19th-century photographer Peter Britt. Tens of thousands of music lovers travel from all over the West to enjoy Britt’s high-energy performances and casual, relaxing atmosphere. The grounds are located downtown at Fir and 1st Streets. Box office numbers are 541-773-6077 and 800-882-7488.