Jacksonville, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County
, Oregon
, United States, a few miles west of Medford
. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District
which was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark
in 1966. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,235. As of July 1, 2009, the city's population was estimated to be 2,665.
Jacksonville was founded following discovery of gold deposits
in 1851–1852. With the creation of Jackson County, it became the county seat, a role which was transferred to nearby Medford in 1927.
Jacksonville was home to the first Chinatown
in Oregon, founded by immigrants from San Francisco, California
. Evidence of this chapter of history was uncovered early in March 2004 when road work uncovered artifacts dating to the 1850s and 1860s. Construction was halted while archeologists performed four days of rescue excavations. Their findings included broken Chinese bowls and tea cups, handmade bottles, and fragments of opium
paraphernalia and Chinese coins
.
When the gold deposits were worked out, and the railway bypassed Jacksonville in 1884, the city's economy slowed. This had the unintended benefit of preserving a number of structures, which led to Jacksonville being designated a National Historic District
in 1966, covering over 100 buildings. It was cited as a:
, the city has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,235 people, 1,034 households, and 661 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,230.7 people per square mile (474.1/km²). There were 1,102 housing units at an average density of 606.8 per square mile (233.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.11% White, 0.72% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.31% African American, 0.40% from other races
, and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.46% of the population.
The largest ancestry groups in Jacksonville, Oregon include: German
(19%), English
(18%), Irish
(11%), Scottish
(4%) and Italian
(4%).
There were 1,034 households out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.68.
Jacksonville's population is spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 32.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,250, and the median income for a family was $57,333. Males had a median income of $42,917 versus $28,661 for females. Jacksonville's per capita income
is $28,152. About 5.3% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
used to be in Jacksonville but was later moved near the airport
in nearby Medford
.
, a seasonal music festival that takes place at an open-air amphitheater. The site was selected in 1963 because of the acoustic qualities of the surrounding hills. The popular concert series draws national pop, country, alternative and contemporary music acts. It is named after Peter Britt, a pioneer and owner of the land now used for Britt Park.
was housed in the courthouse until 2006, when it closed and its artifacts were sent to storage in Medford.
The Beekman Native Plant Arboretum
is located behind the Beekman House, a house museum
also owned by the SOHS and a contributing property
of the historic district. Other SOHS-owned contributing properties include the Beekman Bank, Catholic Rectory and the U.S. Hotel.
The 1859 B. F. Dowell House, a private residence and contributing property, is the oldest Italianate
brick residence in Oregon.
The William Bybee House, near Jacksonville, now known as Bybee's Historic Inn, is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, as designated by Sister Cities International
:
Lawrence
, New Zealand
42.314456°N 122.967157°W
Jackson County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States, a few miles west of Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District
Jacksonville Historic District (Jacksonville, Oregon)
Jacksonville Historic District in Jacksonville, Oregon was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1966.Its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 describes its area as the Jacksonville city limits....
which was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1966. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,235. As of July 1, 2009, the city's population was estimated to be 2,665.
History
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
in 1851–1852. With the creation of Jackson County, it became the county seat, a role which was transferred to nearby Medford in 1927.
Jacksonville was home to the first Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
in Oregon, founded by immigrants from San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Evidence of this chapter of history was uncovered early in March 2004 when road work uncovered artifacts dating to the 1850s and 1860s. Construction was halted while archeologists performed four days of rescue excavations. Their findings included broken Chinese bowls and tea cups, handmade bottles, and fragments of opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
paraphernalia and Chinese coins
Chinese coins
Chinese coins were produced continuously for around 2,500 years by casting in moulds, rather than being struck with dies as with most western coins.-Pre-Imperial :The earliest coinage of China was described by Sima Qian, the great historian of c...
.
When the gold deposits were worked out, and the railway bypassed Jacksonville in 1884, the city's economy slowed. This had the unintended benefit of preserving a number of structures, which led to Jacksonville being designated a National Historic District
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1966, covering over 100 buildings. It was cited as a:
- mid-19th century inland commercial city significant for its magnificent group of surviving unaltered commercial and residential buildings. The city was the principal financial center of southern OregonSouthern OregonSouthern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area, which consists of the...
until it was bypassed by the railroad.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,235 people, 1,034 households, and 661 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,230.7 people per square mile (474.1/km²). There were 1,102 housing units at an average density of 606.8 per square mile (233.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.11% White, 0.72% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.31% African American, 0.40% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.46% of the population.
The largest ancestry groups in Jacksonville, Oregon include: German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(19%), English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
(18%), Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(11%), Scottish
Scottish American
Scottish Americans or Scots Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Scotland. Scottish Americans are closely related to Scots-Irish Americans, descendants of Ulster Scots, and communities emphasize and celebrate a common heritage...
(4%) and Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(4%).
There were 1,034 households out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.68.
Jacksonville's population is spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 32.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,250, and the median income for a family was $57,333. Males had a median income of $42,917 versus $28,661 for females. Jacksonville's per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
is $28,152. About 5.3% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Jacksonville is served by the Medford School District and is home to Jacksonville Elementary School. Cascade Christian High SchoolCascade Christian High School
Cascade Christian High School is a private high school in Medford, Oregon, United States. The school was formerly located in nearby Jacksonville and housed in the historic Jacksonville School building.- History :...
used to be in Jacksonville but was later moved near the airport
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport is a public airport located 3 miles north of downtown Medford in Jackson County, Oregon, USA. In addition to Jackson County, the airport serves seven nearby counties in southwest Oregon. It is owned and operated by Jackson County's Aviation Authority...
in nearby Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
Annual cultural events
Jacksonville is home to the Britt FestivalBritt Festival
Britt is a non-profit performing arts festival located in Jacksonville, Oregon. Since its creation it has been among the premier performing arts festivals in the Northwest, and has managed to attract high-profile and local acts in music for decades. Britt also sponsors a number of educational...
, a seasonal music festival that takes place at an open-air amphitheater. The site was selected in 1963 because of the acoustic qualities of the surrounding hills. The popular concert series draws national pop, country, alternative and contemporary music acts. It is named after Peter Britt, a pioneer and owner of the land now used for Britt Park.
Museums and other points of interest
The Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) formed in 1946 to save the endangered 1880s Jackson County Courthouse. The Jacksonville MuseumJacksonville Museum
Jacksonville Museum was a museum in Jacksonville, Oregon, United States, located in the former Jackson County Courthouse, built in 1883. The courhouse is a contributing property of the Jacksonville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
was housed in the courthouse until 2006, when it closed and its artifacts were sent to storage in Medford.
The Beekman Native Plant Arboretum
Beekman Native Plant Arboretum
The Beekman Native Plant Arboretum is a three-acre arboretum in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, that features trees, shrubs and herbs from eight zones of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountains in Southern Oregon...
is located behind the Beekman House, a house museum
Historic house museums
A historic house museum is a house that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home...
also owned by the SOHS and a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
of the historic district. Other SOHS-owned contributing properties include the Beekman Bank, Catholic Rectory and the U.S. Hotel.
The 1859 B. F. Dowell House, a private residence and contributing property, is the oldest Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
brick residence in Oregon.
The William Bybee House, near Jacksonville, now known as Bybee's Historic Inn, is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Notable people
- Bruce CampbellBruce CampbellBruce Lorne Campbell is an American film and television actor. As a cult movie actor, Campbell starred as Ashley J. "Ash" Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series of films and he has starred in many low-budget cult films such as Crimewave, Maniac Cop, Bubba Ho-tep, Escape From L.A. and Sundown:...
, actor - Helen Cha-PyoHelen Cha-PyoHelen Cha-Pyo is a Korean-born American conductor and organist. The Mail Tribune of Oregon describes her as being "on the front edge of a lustrous career as a conductor.”...
, orchestra conductor and organist - Pinto ColvigPinto ColvigVance DeBar "Pinto" Colvig was an American vaudeville actor, radio actor, newspaper cartoonist, prolific movie voice actor, and circus performer whose schtick was playing clarinet off-key while mugging....
, the original Bozo the ClownBozo the ClownBozo the Clown is a clown character very popular in the United States, peaking in the 1960s as a result of widespread franchising in early television.Originally created by Alan W...
and voice of GoofyGoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
and PlutoPlutoPluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun... - Captain James Lingenfelter,first Oregonian killed in the Civil War
- Beth MarionBeth MarionBeth Marion, born Betty Goettsche, in Clinton, Iowa, was a B-movie actress of the 1930s, starring in westerns, her career spanning only about five years, mostly in 1936....
, actress - Millie PerkinsMillie PerkinsMillie Perkins is an American film and television actress.Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Millie grew up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Her father was a merchant marine captain...
, film and television actress. - Jerry PettiboneJerry PettiboneJerry Pettibone is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Northern Illinois University from 1985 to 1990 and at Oregon State University from 1991 to 1996, compiling a career college football record of 46–84–2.-Early life:Pettibone's...
, American football player and coach - John TrudeauJohn TrudeauS. John Trudeau was an American musician who expanded the music department at Portland State University and helped co-found the outdoor Britt Festival of performing arts in Jacksonville, Oregon, the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.In 1951, Trudeau came to Portland, Oregon to join the...
, musician and orchestra conductor - Kitty WilkinsKitty WilkinsKatherine Caroline Wilkins , aka Kitty or Kittie, was a horse breeder at the turn of the 20th century known as the "Horse Queen of Idaho." She was the only American woman at that time whose livelihood was based solely on the trade. The Wilkins Horse Company at Bruneau's Diamond Ranch supplied...
, horse breeder
Sister cities
Jacksonville has one sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
, as designated by Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
:
Lawrence
Lawrence, New Zealand
Lawrence is a small town of 474 inhabitants in Otago, in New Zealand's South Island. It is located on State Highway 8, the main route from Dunedin to the inland towns of Queenstown and Alexandra...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
External links
- Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce
- Listing for Jacksonville in the Oregon Blue BookOregon Blue BookThe Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. As Governor Ted Kulongoski notes in his introduction for the 2005–2006 edition, it "provides...
- Historic photos of Jacksonville from Salem Public Library
42.314456°N 122.967157°W