Following the discovery of gold in the winter of 1851-2, Jacksonville, Oregon,
became a melting pot of races, classes, and cultures as ambitious individuals
pursued the promise of riches. The offer of free land brought settlers
seeking opportunity. The influx of miners and settlers attracted merchants
with goods to sell and opportunists of all kinds.
Historic Jacksonville, Inc. brings the history of Jacksonville and
Southern Oregon to life through the stories of the people, places, and things
that have contributed to who we are today.
It’s the Merry Month of May!
And it’s a time of transitions
from spring programs
to summer programs!
Don’t Miss your Last Opportunity to
Time Travel to Depression Era Jacksonville via
Beekman House
1932
Tour tickets would make a great Mother’s Day gift!
Don’t miss out! Saturday, May 18, will be your last opportunity this year to escape 2024 and “time travel” to 1932 Jacksonville, Oregon. You’ll find yourself in Depression Era Jacksonville where miners are digging up the streets looking for any leftover gold; hobos are hoping for handouts, and Prohibition is being ignored.
Time travelers will be paying a social call on Ben and Carrie Beekman, the children of the town’s wealthiest and most prominent pioneer family. With the help of family members and friends, Ben and Carrie are closing up their 1870s family home, going through closets and cupboards, commenting on current events, and reminiscing about growing up in the late 1800s. While touring this national historic landmark, you’ll become part of a 1-hour living history “play.”
Saturday, May 18 – 10:30am, 12n, and 2pm
C.C. Beekman House Museum, 470 E. California Street, Jacksonville, OR
Admission, $10. Tour size capped. Reservations and info at https://historicjacksonville.org/1932-living-history/
Speaking of
Did you know that more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day
than any other day of the year?
Although Mother’s Day has only been an official U.S. holiday since 1914, celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced to the ancient Greeks and Romans and their festivals honoring the mother goddesses, Rhea and Cybele. Early Christians adopted and adapted these pagan celebrations, transforming them into a festival known as “Mothering Sunday.” Over time, this tradition shifted into a secular holiday with children presenting their mothers with flowers and tokens of appreciation.
Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated the world over. The modern Mother’s Day celebrates the varied roles and goals of mothers today and commemorates the many ways mothers have fought to better the lives of their children.
Learn more about the history of Mother’s day by clicking here!
And you have one last opportunity to explore the
Secrets & Mysteries of the Beekman Bank!
The Beekman Bank is the oldest financial institution in the Pacific Northwest, established by Cornelius C. Beekman as a gold dust office in 1856. Over $40 million in gold crossed Beekman’s counters during Jacksonville’s heyday in the 1800s—equivalent to almost $1 billion in today’s currency!
The building has been preserved as a museum since Beekman locked the doors in 1915 and it’s preserved its secrets as well! Join regional historian Ben Truwe on a 50 minute lantern light tour as he uncovers many of the bank’s secrets and mysteries.
Our May 11th tours are currently booked, BUT we may be able to accommodate “walk ups.” Tours begin at 5:30 pm, 6:45 pm, and 8:00 pm. Admission is $5 and tour size is limited. The bank is located at 110 W. California Street at the corner of California and North 3rd. You’ll find more information at https://historicjacksonville.org/beekman-bank-secrets/
Then WOO-HOO!
We’ll be starting our summer season
when you can
Walk through Jacksonville’s History!
Stretch your legs in the comfort of morning temperatures while learning a little history when Historic Jacksonville, Inc. will be offering 1-hour guided “Walk through History tours that transport guests back to the late 1800s when Jacksonville was the hub of Southern Oregon.
Tours leave from Jacksonville’s New City Hall and cover about 1 mile with multiple stops. Guests hear how gambling money built a church; how the Civil War ended a successful mercantile partnership; how a saloon housed the county’s first museum; how fire reshaped the town; and how a railroad both destroyed and preserved the town.
Every Saturday, May 25 through August 31 – 10am
New City Hall, 206 North 5th Street, Jacksonville
FREE! (Donations welcomed!)
Click here for more information!
And if you miss out on our
Secrets & Mysteries tour,
you can still
of the 1863 Beekman Bank!
Did you know that Jacksonville’s Beekman Bank began as a gold dust office making it the oldest financial institution in the Pacific Northwest? Or that it saw the equivalent of $1 billion today in gold crossing its counters?
Step behind the counter of this unique institution and interact with costumed docents sharing stories of late 19th Century banking practices, gold shipping, and handshake deals; peer in drawers containing old checks, stage schedules, and paperwork; enter the vault that stored all those millions in gold! And it’s FREE!
Saturdays & Sundays, May 25 – September 1, 11am to 3pm
Beekman Bank Museum, 110 W. California Street
FREE! (Donations encouraged!)
Information at https://historicjacksonville.org/behind-the-counter-tours/
Then envision
19th Century Family Life!
Catch a glimpse of a Jacksonville upper-class Victorian family’s lifestyle when Historic Jacksonville, Inc. opens the C.C. Beekman House Museum for 30-minute tours. The Beekmans were Jacksonville’s richest and most prominent pioneer family. “Family Life” tours highlight their upper-class late 1800s daily lifestyle, changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution, and Victorian architectural and design innovations, providing insights into life in Jacksonville during the town’s heyday.
1st & 3rd Saturdays, June 1st through August 17th – 11am to 2pm
C.C. Beekman House Museum, 470 E. California Street,
Jacksonville, Oregon
Tours begin every 20 to 30 minutes.
Admission, $5 (cash or check at the door).
More information at https://historicjacksonville.org/19th-century-family-life
And there are always lots of virtual ways to
Explore Historic Jacksonville!
Want an overview? Watch our 30 minute video.
Want a quick sample? Check out our daily Facebook and Instagram posts.
Want to dig deeper? Visit one of the 50 sites on our Walk through History blog.
Enjoy a visit to the historic C.C. Beekman House when
Mrs. Julia Beekman “Invites You to Call”
for a tour of her 1873 home.
Or visit many of Jacksonville’s original residences through our 45 minute
“Step Back in Time” Historic Home video!
Tour Jacksonville’s pioneer cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in the Pacific Northwest that has remained in continuous use through our new 45 minute
Pioneer Cemetery tour.
View Jacksonville through the eyes of local pets as they sniff out the
history and stories of local sites each week in our
Walkabout Wednesday series.
Join us for our on-going “Thirsty Thursday” saloon series featuring early Jacksonville stories of beer, wine, whiskey, saloons, and “entrepreneurs”!
So many ways to see the places and learn about the people who transformed a gold rush town into the 19th Century commercial, governmental, and social hub of Southern Oregon! Enjoy the treasure trove of Jacksonville History on this website plus daily history trivia on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Find out how interesting and fun history can be!
Jacksonville 1883 (lithograph)
When Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859, Jacksonville was the largest inland trade center in the new state, and Jacksonville and its residents played a dominant role in early Oregon history and statehood. But when the railroad by-passed Jacksonville in the 1880s, the town slowly sank into oblivion. However, that oblivion also proved to be the town’s salvation, preserving the historic buildings, homes, and character that you see today—Jacksonville’s National Historic Landmark District. Today, these landmarks live again through the efforts of the City of Jacksonville, volunteers, and private owners so that you can again experience Jacksonville in its heyday.