CLIMATEYou will find us 15 miles north of the California border on Interstate 5 at the south end of the Rogue Valley, sitting about 2,000 feet above sea level. Mt. Ashland looms above us to the south, 7,500 feet high, and the Cascade Range lies about 30 miles to the east. Ashland is 365 miles north of San Francisco and 290 miles south of Portland.
Although the climate is fairly mild, we do have four distinct seasons. The hills across the valley turn green with the spring rains and golden brown in summer’s heat. Fall brings crisp days and chilly nights along with the colors of leaves turning. In winter, when it snows, the hills are beautiful. Summer highs are typically in the 80’s, with lows in the 50’s, but we do see approximately six weeks of highs in the 90’s, and it usually exceeds 100 sometimes in August.
Winter highs usually run in the mid-40’s. with lows in the 30’s, although lows do drop into the single digits on rare occasions. We typically have cold, clear days. When it does snow in town it usually melts by midday, but higher elevations can take several days. Despite Oregon’s reputation for rain, Ashland averages only 19 inches per year, plus ten inches of snow. In USDA Zone 7, we have a growing season of 170 days starting in April.
Ashland’s climate is ideal for gardening, and is especially conducive to growing roses and vegetables such as vine-ripened tomatoes. Since the turn of the 20th Century, the orchard industry has played a prominent role in our agriculture and we are still known as the “pear country”. The climate is also conducive to growing grapes, with many wineries in the immediate area.
OUR COMMUNITYAshland offers qualities of life that many towns only dream about. In addition to its physical beauty and cultural diversity, Ashland feels like a community... a place we all call home.
It shows up in many ways: in walking past homes built in the 20th Century, preserved because people care, or shopping in buildings you remember seeing in historic photographs. It shows up in clean streets, excellent schools and libraries, and a downtown free of garish signs. And most fun of all, it shows up in community events with deep roots, such as the Fourth of July Celebration, dating form the 1870’s, and summer Ashland City Band Concerts going back to the 1890’s.
SHOP & DINEShopping and dinning in Ashland is a more personal and friendly experience than most cities offer their residents and visitors. Many of the owners of local shops and restaurants live and work in Ashland. They give that extra special service that people love. Not only are these people personally connected to the business community, they are intimately tied to the health and success of the entire community of Ashland and the Rogue Valley. They contribute to fund raisers, community events, non-profit organizations and many other groups in addition to the Chamber. When you shop in Ashland, you know that you are going to have a incredible selection of very special products.
We are very fortunate residents to have so many wonderful amenities at our fingertips because of our tourism-based economy. Due to this factor we have a large, fine selection of restaurants, from casual cafes to elegant eateries. While sampling some great Pacific Northwest fare, enjoy a glass of local wine. The Rogue Valley is becoming increasingly well known for its wineries. With a climate much like the Bordeaux region in France, our area is especially well suited for growing grapes perfect for Merlots and Cabernets.
We have and abundance of great bookstores and art galleries that feature a wide range of local artists in all mediums. Interesting shops feature unique gift items, Oregon made products, organic and healthful food, antiques, pottery, jewelry, hand-woven garments and natural fibers as well as T-shirts and local memorabilia.
Shopping has never been easier and more enjoyable with close access to parking in the newly-constructed three story parking facility located just off Main Street.
Don’t forget the Railroad District in Ashland comprising a area of roughly 14 blocks between A and C Streets, and First and Eighth Streets. Tasteful renovations and newly constructed buildings feature dinning, photography, furniture, galleries, clothing, and professional services.
With all this to choose from, your guests may need to stay an extra night. Ashland is particularly blessed with a variety of guest accommodations. Choose from one of the many beautiful and unique Bed & Breakfasts to lovely hotels with different amenities.
Galleries & MuseumsAshland is home not only to nearly two dozen art galleries and shops, but also to a recently expanded art museum of growing reputation. In the galleries, the emphasis is on Northwest artists, some of whom are nationally known.
At the Schneider Museum on the Southern Oregon University campus visitors can see major contemporary exhibits from around the country. The student-run Gallery at Stevenson Union has first-rate invitational exhibitions too.
Ashland’s galleries and shops offer a remarkably diverse range of fine arts and crafts. You can find representational as well as contemporary paintings and fine art prints, sculpture, glass, Native American and visionary art, pottery and ceramics, jewelry and fabric art, and fine hand crafted furniture. There is a First Friday Art Walk each month sponsored by the Ashland Gallery Association, which in the spring also puts on the Taste of Ashland- a fantastic way to walk through town, viewing art while sipping wine and sampling locally created delicacies. Another attraction is the Ashland Historic Railroad District’s Walking Tour.
Southern Oregon Historical Society is a complex interactive group of 16 exhibits including Children’s Museum, historic homes and grounds tours, including the History Center in Jacksonville, the museums in Jacksonville, and the historic Hanley Farm in Central Point.
The ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum here in Ashland offers fun, interactive science activities, exhibits, and demonstrations for all ages.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTMusicAshland abounds with music. Whether it is folk singing or opera, bluegrass or chamber music, the town has it. Facilities include the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall where the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers and the Chamber Music Concerts are held, the Lithia Park Bandshell, and many other spots around town you can hear national, regional and local talent. A welcome addition to the music scene is St. Clair Production’s Folk Music Series and Rogue Valley
Blues Festival.
If you perform, the area has a number of classical, folk, opera and a cappella groups you can join. The Rogue Valley Symphony offers outstanding performances in Ashland and the Rogue Valley. The Britt Festivals perform concerts under stars in two locations: Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville and the Lithia Motors Ampitheater in Central Point. Britt features a collection of world class artists in classical music, dance, jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, world, pop, and country music.
CinemaAshland’s Varsity Theater, located downtown in a 1937 Art Deco-style building, house five wall-to-wall screens. The Varsity Theater is an art house which features first run foreign and art films. Ashland Street Cinema, located in the Ashland Shopping Center, is your family entertainment center featuring Dolby Digital Surround Sound, six wall-to-wall screens, first run films and a super snack bar.
Every spring, filmmakers and film lovers gather in the Varsity Theater to celebrate the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Documentaries, features, shorts and student films are shown on the five screens where filmmakers connect with an attentive audience that seeks a closer look into the creative process. The artists give high praise for their Ashland welcome, many ranking their visit at the top of their film festival experiences. In 2005, 85 films were shown in five days, 60+ filmmakers attended, more than two-thirds of the screenings were sold out, 11,433 tickets were distributed, over 90% of the seats were filled.
EDUCATIONRogue Community CollegeRogue Community College offers a full range of educational opportunities at convenient locations in Jackson and Josephine Counties. The college plays a key role in the educational and cultural renaissance happening in the heart of Medford, where RCC’s Riverside Campus is located. The college is adjacent to the Craterian Ginger Rodgers Theater and shares space in the new Jackson County Library.
Rogue Community College offers five two-year degrees and 32 professional/ technical programs as well as a variety of workforce and short-term trainings, developmental studies classes, community education classes, and services to local businesses. RCC also offers classes at the Redwood Campus in Grants Pass, at learning centers in Grants Pass, the Illinois Valley, and Medford, and is developing a new technical training center in White City.
The Riverside Campus is located at 117 S. Central, Medford (541) 245-7500. The Redwood Campus is at 3345 Redwood Hwy., Grants Pass, (541) 956-7500. Outside of Medford or RCC, call RCC toll free at (800) 411-6508, or visit the website at
www.roguecc.edu.
Private SchoolsAshland and the Rogue Valley have several private schools:
Armadillo Technical Institute 535-3287
Children’s World Bilingual Montessori Preschool & Kindergarden 488-9313 & 482-3469
ESL Language Center 552-6196
Head Start Centers 482-5931
Lithia Springs School 482-5818
Pilot Rock Christian School 482-7625
Rogue Valley Christian School 482-3411
St. Mary’s School 773-7877
The Siskiyou School 482-8223
Willow Wind Community Learning Center 488-2684
ESL Language Center
The ESL Language Center, a private school on the campus of Southern Oregon University, offers instruction in American English to international scholars or professionals who wish to enroll in an American university or to use English in dealing with their international clients. The ESL offers Ashland residents the opportunity to get to know these students by providing room and board in their homes at charge or by getting together from time-to-time for activities that are mutually enjoyed.
Ashland Schools FoundationThe mission of the Ashland Schools Foundation (ASF) is to support quality education in Ashland public schools through fund raising in the community. ASF is an independent, non-profit, public benefit corporation, organized in 1989 exclusively for educational and charitable purposes. ASF has enabled Ashland’s public schools to provide classroom-based enrichment grants and to support the arts in the schools. Additionally, ASF partners with local business and the Ashland Chamber in the Buy-in-for-Books program that enrolls local businesses in a program to donate a portion of their proceeds to buy new textbooks for the schools.
TOURISMTourism has been a stabilizing influence on Ashland’s economic health and sets it apart from other Oregon timber towns. Over 358,427 visitors come to Ashland annually. We have experienced a shift in our market area that has created a regional market from Northern California to Eugene. Over 60% of our visitors hold either Bachelors, Graduate or Professional Degrees. Visitors’ median age is 40-49, with 42.3% of them over 50 years old. Visitors are taking shorter, more frequent vacations, couples are traveling without children, most of them from California, Oregon, Washington, and over 80% are repeat visitors.
Place of ResidentsNorthern California 40%
Oregon 21%
Southern California 15%
Other States 12%
Washington 9%
Foreign Countries 3%
Seasonal Room RatesWinter $82.00
Spring $106.00
Summer $110.00
Fall $75.00
Annual Occupancy Rate2000 49%
2001 47%
2002 44%
2003 43%
2004 45%
Seasonal Occupancy RatesFall 25%
Winter 24%
Spring 17%
Summer 34%
RECREATIONSouthern Oregon is famous for it’s recreational opportunities. Within an hour’s drive of Ashland, you will find many rivers, lakes and mountains, and an abundance of wildlife. Even within Ashland there is a lot to do. Taking a walk in Lithia Park offers amazing scenic opportunities anytime of year. Walk or bike in the downtown core. Enjoy fine art while taking the Ashland’s Railroad District’s Walking Tour. Need more ideas? Read on...
Snow Sports
A major local fundraising effort in 1992 generated funds to purchase Mt. Ashland Ski & Snowboard Resort area, which is owned by the City of Ashland and leased by MAA (Mt. Ashland Association). Located just south of town, 7,500-foot Mt. Ashland offers day and night skiing for most abilities. Four chair lifts give access to 23 runs, with the longest drop being 1,150 feet. The mountain gets an annual snow fall of 325 inches, with an average depth of 110 inches. The season usually runs from Thanksgiving through April. Cross-country skiers will find over 80 miles of trails within an hour’s drive of town.
Lake of the Woods, Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Lake, Fish Lake and Crater Lake National Park are popular spots. Winter sports are rounded out with ice fishing, snowmobiling and horse-drawn sleigh rides- all within and hour of Ashland.
Water SportsSix miles east of Ashland lies Emigrant Lake, offering swimming, water-skiing, sailing, fishing, 270-foot twin flume water slides. World class rafting, kayaking and salmon fishing are found on the Rogue River. Outfitters and guides are available to lead trips from afternoon outings to three-day expeditions. Fishing is abundant in the many other lakes and river in the area.
Another example of Ashland community pulling together is the Darex Family Ice Skating Rink. In 1996, a few large-hearted individuals began work on a realizing dream to bring ice skating to Ashland. This dream is now a reality, and we enjoy ice skating from November to February in the outdoor ice skating rink in Lithia Park.
WILDLIFEFor those who enjoy watching wildlife, Southern Oregon is a real treat. In the immediate Ashland area there are deer, raccoons and muskrats to be seen, and if you are willing to venture farther into the hills, and are patient, you can spot coyotes, bobcats, cougars and the occasional black bear. In the greater Rogue Valley area, there are hundreds of miles of well maintained BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and Forrest Service roads take you far from town and busy highways. Birding is plentiful, too. There are local chapters of The Audubon Society and The Sierra Club, each with active outing schedules. A major wildlife area exists in the Klamath Basin 70 miles east of Ashland. Part of the Pacific Flyway, the lakes in the area are temporary home to nearly one million ducks and geese in November, along with many other species. And form December through February, you can see the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 states. All year long there is plenty to see, with over 400 wildlife species present.
HIKING AND BIKINGThe Ashland Ranger District (U.S. Forest Service Rogue River National Forest) provides maps and information ( call 482-3333 ). The Pacific Creast Trail runs within 10 miles of town accross Mt. Ashland, and there are hundreds of other hiking trails within and hour or two of town. The local Sierra Club organizes and leads dozens of outings each year. For those who like their walking a little tamer, there are walking tours of Ashland.
GOLFSouthern Oregon is a fast developing hotbed of golf. There are nine golf courses within an easy drive of Ashland, encluding Eagle Point Golf Course ( 25 miles north of Eagle Point ). In 2004, Golf Digest Magazine gave Eagle Point 4-1/2 stars and rated this course one of the “Beast Places to Play.” Golf Digest votted Running Y Ranch Resort (in Klamath Falls) the best new affordable public course in the nation for 1998. Championship 18-hole cousres include: Rogue Valley Country Club (in Medford), Stoneridge Golf Course (20 miles north of White City), and Cedar Links Golf Course ( in Medford). There are also a number of nine-hold courses- Oak Knoll Golf Course in Ashland, Laurel Hills Golf Course in Gold Hill, and in Medford: Bear Creek Golf Course, Stewart Medows and Quail Point Golf Course- all of which are public.
RETIREMENT & SENIOR SERVICESThe Ashland Meford Area has recieved noumerous mentions and favorible ranking in many publications in the last several years. In the artical “Where to Retire,” in Modern Maturnity Magazine, Ashland was ranked 2nd in the nation for having the amenities for healthly active retirees. Other publications include Retirement Places Rated, The Searchers, Small Towns Lighting the Landscap, and Choose a College Town for Retirement.
Ashland Senior ProgramThe Ashland Senior Program ( 1699 Homes Ave. in Hunter Park ) was established in 1973, and became a department of the City of Ashland in 1981. The program provides a support system the Ashland’s older residents, enabling them to love more independently and to continue as contributing members of the community. The Senior Program also has Outreach, Information and Assitance, prevented health care clinics, a discount on the City of Ashland utilities and garbage pickup for income qualifying seniors, help with tax preparation, insurance counseling, and weekday noon provided meals provided by Rogue Valley Council of Governments Food and Friends Program. The Activity Center offers a variety of activities ranging from line dancing, yoga, and drama groups, to viewing old movies. Futhor information can be obtained by calling 541-488-5342
Souhtern Oregon University Siskiyou CenterSouthern Oregon Universtiy has a history of leadership and educational programs for older adults, dating from it first Elderhostel program in 1980. The Sisikyou Center offers a range of programs for older adults, retirees, and pre-retirees, including SOLIR, Elderhostel, and Senior Ventures. For more information about these programs, please contact 552-6285 or 552-6048 or visit the website at www.sou.edu/ecp/seniors. Their friendly students and caring staff are delighted to welcome you to the campus community.
Elderhostel-Souhtern Oregon University hosts one of the largest Elderhostel programs in the country. Open to people 55 and over, Elderhostel offers educational programs in a variety of areas. The Ashland program offers theater, wine appreciation, music, history, literature, travel and much more.
Senior Ventures-Senior Ventures is Southern Oregon University’s own program offering educational adventures combined with housing on the University’s campus in Ashland.
SOLIR-Southern Oregon Learning in Retirement (SOLIR) offers its members of retirement age opportunities to prosue current intellectual interests and to explore, with an academic approach, new areas of learning. Classes are held weekdays on Southern Oregon University’s campus.
