Jacksonville, Oregon
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| Jacksonville, Oregon | |
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| — City — | |
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| Motto: Always a good time | |
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| Coordinates: 42°18′52″N 122°58′2″W / 42.31444°N 122.96722°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Jackson |
| Incorporated | 1860 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Bruce Garrett |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2) |
| • Land | 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,569 ft (478.23 m) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 2,800 |
| • Density | 1,230.7/sq mi (474.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97530 |
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-37000[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1122366[2] |
| Website | www.cityofjacksonvilleoregon.com |
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.[3] As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,235. As of July 1, 2011, the city's population was estimated to be 2,800.[4]
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[edit] History
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:
- 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 Oregon until it was bypassed by the railroad.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), all of it land.[5]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] 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%).[6]
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.
[edit] Education
Jacksonville is served by the Medford School District and is home to Jacksonville Elementary School. Cascade Christian High School used to be in Jacksonville but was later moved near the airport in nearby Medford.
[edit] Arts and culture
[edit] Annual cultural events
Jacksonville is home to the Britt Festival, 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.
[edit] Museums and other points of interest
The Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) formed in 1946 to save the endangered 1880s Jackson County Courthouse. They operated the Jacksonville Museum, housed in the courthouse until 2006, when it closed due to lack of funding. The Southern Oregon Historical Society now operates Hanley Farm in Central Point and a Research Library in Medford.
The Beekman Native Plant Arboretum is located behind the Beekman House, a house museum also owned by SOHS and a contributing property of the historic district.[7] 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,[7] is the oldest Italianate brick residence in Oregon.[8]
The William Bybee House, near Jacksonville, now known as Bybee's Historic Inn, is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
[edit] Media
Jacksonville is served by the Mail Tribune newspaper, published in Medford.
[edit] Notable people
- Kirstie Alley, actor
- Bruce Campbell, actor
- Helen Cha-Pyo, orchestra conductor and organist
- Pinto Colvig, the original Bozo the Clown and voice of Goofy and Pluto
- Captain James Lingenfelter,first Oregonian killed in the Civil War
- Beth Marion, actress
- Millie Perkins, film and television actress.
- Jerry Pettibone, American football player and coach
- John Trudeau, musician and orchestra conductor
- Kitty Wilkins, horse breeder
[edit] Sister cities
Jacksonville has one sister city,[9] as designated by Sister Cities International:
[edit] References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ National Historic Landmarks Program (NHL)
- ^ "2011 Certified Population Estimates". Portland State University. http://pdx.edu/prc/population-estimates-0. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=15325
- ^ a b Noehill Travels in Oregon
- ^ Historic Home Renovation: Jacksonville, Oregon, Bruce Richey, Architect
- ^ http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/usa/OR
[edit] External links
- Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce
- Listing for Jacksonville in the Oregon Blue Book
- Historic photos of Jacksonville from Salem Public Library
Coordinates: 42°18′52″N 122°58′02″W / 42.314456°N 122.967157°W
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