JACKSON COUNTY

County Offices
10 South Oakdale Avenue
Medford 541-774-6029
http://jacksoncountyor.org

Chamber of Commerce
101 East 8th Street
Medford 541-779-4847
www.medfordchamber.com

Just 27 miles from the California border, Jackson County features more than 10,000 acres of orchards and portions of the Rogue Valley and Applegate wine appellations. Other economic drivers include education, healthcare, lumber, manufacturing and tourism. Interstate 5 along with Highways 62 and 140 combine with Rogue Valley International Medford Airport for efficient transportation links.

Services
Leading healthcare services are available close to home at Providence Medford Medical Center in Medford, where exceptional programs and services combine with clinical excellence delivered in a patient-centered atmosphere. Points of pride include the region’s only nationally accredited inpatient rehabilitation unit, the Leila J. Eisenstein Breast Center, a Brain and Spine Institute, robotic surgery, specialty clinics, advanced cancer care, a stroke center, and a home health agency that is consistently named among America’s Top 500. Also in Medford, Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center serves a nine-county region with state-of-the-art services and facilities through a system ranked among America’s Top 15 by Truven Health Analytics. Those in the Ashland area have another option close to home at the 49-bed Asante Ashland Community Hospital. As the area’s largest non-seasonal employer with more than 4,500 employees, Asante also provides millions of dollars in charitable care and local community health benefits.

Newcomers will be equally impressed with the caliber of Jackson County’s educational opportunities, beginning with quality school districts that are dedicated to graduating students with a strong academic foundation for a lifetime of success. Several options for a private education are also available in the Medford area. For many, higher education and workforce training begins at Rogue Community College with locations in Medford, Grants Pass and White City. The scenic town of Ashland is home to the beautiful campus for Southern Oregon University, where students enjoy receiving a quality education against a background of rugged mountains, rivers and lakes. Serving nearly 6,000 students from around the world, SOU specializes in liberal arts, sciences, and select graduate and professional programs in more than 100 areas of study. With courses taught solely by faculty, SOU is known for a high level of individualized attention in small classes with a student-professor ratio of 19 to 1. Nearby Klamath Falls also hosts the campus for the Oregon Institute of Technology—the only public institute of technology in the entire Northwest.

Lifestyle
Southern Oregon was made for adventurers, nature lovers, sports enthusiasts, active adults, retirees, and families in all stages. “Something for everyone” is the best description of the area’s abundant amenities. Kart racing, golfing, ziplining, cycling, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing and winter sports are popular leisure activities. Even the cultural attractions in Jackson County are usually associated with more densely populated urban centers. The Rogue Valley Symphony Association, the Oregon Cabaret Theater, Randall Theatre Company, Camelot Theater Company, the Ashland Independent Film Festival, and the Ashland New Plays Festival join the award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) for year-round enrichment. With an eclectic series in three theaters from February through October, OSF has emerged as America’s largest regional repertory theater and a leading Jackson County employer. The Ashland City Band plays for enthusiastic crowds in summer concerts under the stars at the Butler Memorial Band Shell in Lithia Park, while colorful festivals and celebrations fill the streets with revelers of all ages.

Wonderful museums expand the mind and preserve the past in venues like ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum and Crater Rock Museum in Medford or the Southern Oregon Historical Society in Ashland. Butte Creek Mill on the National Register of Historic Places is the last operating water-powered grist mill west of the Mississippi. In contrast to advancements like the world’s only forensics laboratory dedicated to solving crimes against wildlife, the tiny rural community of Butte Falls is listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! as the only town in America with a fence completely around it. Small Upper Rogue communities amaze visitors with the atmosphere of days gone with old-fashioned celebrations like the 4th of July, the Vintage Faire, the Spam Festival, Union Creek Music Festival, and the River Art Walk in Shady Cove. Other highlights in and near Jackson County include lush wineries, miles of bike paths, jet boat and dinner excursions, snow skiing, California’s Redwood National Park, and the Pacific coastline. Few places in America can rival Jackson County for a truly unrivaled quality of life.

COMMUNITY PROFILES

Ashland

City Offices
541-488-5350
www.ashland.or.us

Chamber of Commerce
541-482-3486
www.ashlandchamber.com

Featuring outstanding local schools, the picturesque Southern Oregon University campus and the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland is alive with cultural and intellectual energy. Breathtaking beauty surrounds the city, complemented by the scenic 93-acre Lithia Park in the heart of Ashland that stretches along Ashland Creek. Park highlights include two ponds, a Japanese garden, tennis courts, public greens, an outdoor stage and miles of hiking trails. North Mountain Park near Bear Creek adds a nature center, demonstration gardens, sports fields, and trails through acres of wildlife-rich open space. Ashland enjoys an idyllic location along Interstate 5 just north of the California border near the southern end of Bear Creek Valley, part of the Rogue Valley. Outstanding amenities appeal to residents and tourists alike, including an intercity bike trail, historic charm, wonderful restaurants, unique shops and fine galleries. In addition to nearly 50 structures, the Ashland Railroad Addition and Downtown districts are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Central Point

City Offices
541-423-1026
www.centralpointoregon.gov

Chamber of Commerce
541-664-5301
https://centralpointchamber.org/

Along with Eagle Point, Central Point is one of the fastest growing cities in Jackson County. Sharing a border with Medford on its southern boundary, Central Point hosts the Jackson County Fair and features The Rogue Valley Family Fun Center, one of the region’s largest and finest entertainment venues. The beautiful campus for Southern Oregon University and Ashland’s medley of cultural attractions and amenities are just a few miles away. Central Point also enjoys a location close to Crater Lake, the nation’s deepest lake known for its deep blue color and clarity—the focal point of the only national park in Oregon. Highlights within the city include the world’s oldest and largest hearing dog facility and Rogue Creamery, an award-winning, internationally recognized cheese factory. Center Point is also the proud home of the original Grange Co-op, an agricultural cooperative established in 1934. Rock hounds will appreciate Crater Rock Museum with spectacular displays of area rocks, minerals and gems.

Eagle Point

City Offices
541-826-4212
www.cityofeaglepoint.org

Chamber of Commerce
541-826-6945
www.eaglepointchamber.org

Distinguished as one of the fastest growing cities in Jackson County, Eagle Point once served as an affordable bedroom community for those employed in Medford and White City. The addition of a premier golf club transformed the character of the city, spurring the development of housing for every lifestyle from handsome townhouses to luxurious estates. Attractive new commercial development followed to serve a growing population. Dubbed “Gateway to the Lakes,” Eagle Point is surrounded by alpine lakes while the legendary Rogue River passes west of the city at Touvelle State Park. Points of pride include the Eagle Point Historic District and the 1872 Butte Creek Mill with an adjacent antiques shop and some of Rogue Valley’s most spectacular and popular annual events. Residents enjoy a friendly hometown atmosphere and virtually unlimited recreational opportunities in a panoramic region of snow-clad mountain views and softly rolling valley hills.

Gold Hill

City Offices
541-855-1525
www.ci.goldhill.or.us

Chamber of Commerce
541-878-2404

Newcomers to the small town of Gold Hill will discover an intimate community with a strong sense of place, where a modest population is clustered in an area less than one square mile along the scenic Rogue River. With Interstate 5 available on the opposite side of the river, residents enjoy quick and easy access to the urban amenities in the nearby cities of Grants Pass and Medford. Gold Hill is also situated near the intersection of Interstate 5 with Crater Lake Highway 234, a byway renowned for its scenic beauty. The city has developed wonderful parks with a boat launch, river beach access, bike path, skatepark, sports courts and fields, a jogging trail and playgrounds. Outdoor enthusiasts will find endless opportunities for four-season adventures throughout the region from world-class fishing to kayaking through Ti’lomik Falls. Unique features in the Gold Hill area include the visual anomalies of the Oregon Vortex roadside attraction and the spectacular Del Rio Vineyards with its lovely tasting room and renovated Rock Point Hotel.

Jacksonville

City Offices
541-899-1231
www.jacksonvilleor.us

Chamber of Commerce
541-899-8118
http://jacksonvilleoregon.org

A booming regional economic center in its heyday, modern Jacksonville has the heart and soul of everyone’s idyllic hometown. At the center of yesterday’s gold rush region, the entire town is a national historic landmark filled with antiques and collectibles. Newcomers are charmed by its quaint appearance and walkability, wonderful local shops and restaurants, inviting wineries, friendly neighbors, and easy access to cultural and outdoor attractions. From June through September, Jacksonville becomes a destination city for the throngs who arrive to enjoy world-class performances at the Pacific Northwest’s premier arts and entertainment showcase, the Britt Festivals. Britt’s performance venue is a naturally formed amphitheater set among majestic ponderosa pines and native madrones on the spectacular hillside estate of Peter Britt. Surrounding the city are virtually unlimited opportunities to enjoy four-season outdoor activities against the backdrop of natural beauty. From local hiking trails to the Applegate Wine Trails, little wonder that Jacksonville has been called “One of America’s top 10 Coolest Small Towns” by Frommers.

Medford

City Offices
541-774-2000
www.ci.medford.or.us

Chamber of Commerce
Medford 541-779-4847
www.medfordchamber.com

The largest population center and governmental seat of Jackson County, Medford anchors a metropolitan area nearing 210,000—the fourth largest in Oregon. Just 27 miles north of the California border, Medford is 75 miles east of the Pacific Ocean coastline. Interstate 5 traverses the city for easy access to points north and south, although Medford also serves as a junction for Oregon Routes 99, 238, 62 and nearby 140. While the healthcare industry including two major medical centers is the largest economic driver, America’s largest direct marketer of fruits and food gifts is also located in Medford. On a regional level, Harry and David Operations is the largest employer in Southern Oregon. The city’s historic downtown has undergone revitalization in recent years through public funds and private investment, repurposing downtown properties for the sprawling headquarters of Lithia Motors or the Inn at the Commons—formerly Red Lion Hotel. Newcomers to Medford can look forward to lovely parks filled with recreational amenities, wonderful neighborhoods and home settings, convenient commercial development, great schools and Rogue Community College, and an international airport.

Phoenix

City Offices
541-535-1955
www.phoenixoregon.gov

Chamber of Commerce
Medford 541-779-4847
www.medfordchamber.com

Situated across from the California border, the small but bustling community of Phoenix enjoys an idyllic location in the heart of the amazingly scenic and culturally diverse Rogue Valley. Just three miles southwest of Medford along Interstate 5, Phoenix offers quick and easy access to highly developed urban amenities. Nearby Medford is home to two major medical centers, options for a private school education and a campus for Rogue Community College, the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport, first-rate parks filled with recreational facilities, and a world of cultural and entertainment venues. At the same time, Phoenix maintains a sense of place and local pride in well-kept neighborhoods and diverse businesses along the interstate corridor or in the heart of the quaint downtown. Residents have the best of all worlds in a quiet hometown where neighbors and shopkeepers greet each other by name just minutes from a bustling metropolitan center. The surrounding countryside and points beyond are easily accessible for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers who enjoy hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, golfing, cycling, water sports and winter sports.

Rogue River

City Offices
541-582-4401
http://cityofrogueriver.org

Chamber of Commerce
541-582-0242
http://rogueriverchamber.com

Nestled in the foothills of the Rogue Valley along the banks of the world-famous Rogue River, the City of Rogue River invites newcomers to a hometown atmosphere characterized by friendly people and local businesses. Conveniently located just off Interstate 5, this rural gem has enjoyed national recognition as a Tree City USA for the past three decades. While the modest population continues to grow slowly and steadily, the census of the town swells each June when the Rogue River Chamber of Commerce hosts the National Rooster Crow Competition. Drawing visitors from across the Northwest, the event fills an entire weekend with fun, food and entertainment including a parade, children’s attractions, vendor booths, live music, arts and crafts, and the Rooster Crow Car Show. Throughout the year, Rogue River is a community that gathers frequently for celebrations and old-fashioned good times, from pancake breakfasts to the Miss Rogue River Scholarship Pageant, a chamber-sponsored Crab Feed, and the Plaza Lighting Ceremony in early December that kicks off the holiday season.

Shady Cove

City Offices
541-878-2225
www.shadycove.net

Chamber of Commerce
541-878-2404

Serving as the southern gateway to Crater Lake National Park, Shady Cove is known as the recreational hub of the Rogue-Umpqua National Scenic Byway. Just north of Shady Cove, the Cole M. River Fish Hatchery produces 425,000 pounds of trout and salmon annually. Shady Cove has long been a popular fishing village and center for outfitters and raft rentals as well as a destination for unique dining and shopping and locally owned wine tasting rooms. Other attractions include RV parks on the Rogue River, nearby camping sites, lodging, and a rustic retreat for vacationing anglers. Adjacent to Shady Cove Bridge and overlooking the river, the Jackson County River House Conference Center hosts special events and groups near the public boat ramp and Shady Cove-Upper Rogue Regional Park. Many residents are commuters to surrounding employment centers who enjoy returning to a serene rural environment each evening. Others discovered the city as vacationers and simply fell in love with the small town character, friendly people, convenient services, recreational opportunities and healthy lifestyle.

Talent

City Offices
541-535-1566
www.cityoftalent.org

Chamber of Commerce
541-535-3837
http://talentchamber.org

Taking for its slogan “Small town, big dreams, bright future,” Talent is located off Interstate 5 in the scenic Rogue Valley between Ashland and Medford. Wonderful recreational sites are easily accessible, including winter sports and skiing in the majestic Siskiyou Mountains or water sports and fishing at Emigrant or Hyatt lakes and Howard Prairie Reservoir. The city is surrounded by fertile agricultural land that produces fine crops including pears, grapes, cherries and peaches. The hometown intimacy and friendliness that characterize Talent attract those who appreciate a strong community spirit, local business support, and a lively small-town arts scene that includes a local theatre company. Both residential and commercial growth are carefully planned to protect the balance between growth and natural beauty. Many new subdivisions sprung up in the years between 2002 and 2006. Growth has slowed and is expected to continue at a more controlled pace as the new century continues to unfold.