Mountain Rangers was the nickname of an Oregon militia regiment formed during the American Civil War . A mounted unit, the Mountain Rangers were officially Company A, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Oregon State Militia.
74-821: During the Civil War the State of Oregon organized militias to replace the Federal troops who had been recalled for the war. Organized on May 18, 1863, in Ashland , the Mountain Rangers were organized as an independent military company, the only one in Southern Oregon . The men approved a constitution and bylaws, and elected their officers and NCO's . They agreed to buy military fatigue caps, furnish their own horses and wear grey shirts and blue overalls. Officers wore U. S. military uniforms. For
148-462: A bachelor's degree or higher. Ashland has a council-manager government since a Charter Amendment was passed by the voters in a Special Election in May 2020, (changing the form of government from Mayor/Administrator). It consists of a city manager, a mayor, and six council members. The mayor and council members are elected by the city's voters to serve staggered four-year terms. Julie Akins, after serving
222-585: A bill changing the institution's name to Southern Oregon College of Education . Elmo Stevenson – for whom the Stevenson Union would later be named – took over as president in 1946 and rebuilt the school's enrollment from a low of 45 at the close of World War II to nearly 800 less than three years after his arrival. He became the institution's longest-serving president to date, retiring in 1969 from what had been renamed Southern Oregon College – to reflect more diverse course offerings – in 1956. The institution
296-509: A different route (east through Klamath Falls to avoid the steep grade through the Siskiyou Mountains ), Ashland thrived on rail trade of local products, including pears, peaches, and apples. In 1908, the Women's Civic Improvement Club petitioned for the creation of community space along Ashland Creek, which became Ashland Canyon Park. The discovery of lithia water near Emigrant Lake around
370-544: A faculty and staff of more than 750. In addition to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the university, health-service providers make significant contributions to the economy. Businesses related to outdoor recreation, transportation, technology, and light manufacturing are also important. In 2010, the Shakespeare Festival employed about 500 people, the hospital about 400, the public schools about 300, and
444-412: A female householder with no husband present, about 4% had a male householder with no wife present, and about 52% were non-families. About 38% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.63. The median age in the city was 42.9 years. About 16% of residents were under
518-506: A five-day festival in October. The National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland is the world's only laboratory dedicated to solving crimes against wildlife. Using forensic science , experts at the laboratory help wildlife officers to investigate possible crimes against animals and to establish links between victims and suspects in cases that go to court. The laboratory has assisted
592-666: A newspaper based in Medford that published print editions several days a week, served Ashland until it ceased operations on January 13, 2023. The newspaper also owned the Ashland Daily Tidings , which ran Monday through Saturday until 2019. A non-profit news organization, Ashland.news , was founded in 2022 by a former Daily Tidings editor. Fifteen radio stations operate in the region around Ashland, including Jefferson Public Radio and KSKQ , an independent non-profit broadcasting at 89.5 FM. A former student-run radio station with
666-592: A number of resource centers on campus. The Women's Resource Center, Student Sustainability Center, Commuter Resource Center and Queer Resource Center all provide services, resources and events for their respective communities. The university is represented on the board of directors of the Oregon Student Association and SOU's own 15-member Board of Trustees includes one student member. There are several residence halls on campus, as well as family housing complexes. The Southern Oregon athletic teams are called
740-412: A partial term as a city councilor, was elected as mayor in 2020. On January 23, 2023, she announced her resignation effective January 27. On February 7, the council unanimously elected Tonya Graham to serve the remainder of Akins' term. Pam Marsh , a Democrat from Ashland, represents Ashland and all of Oregon House District 5 in the state legislature . As part of Oregon Senate District 3 , Ashland
814-480: A sawmill along what was then called Mill Creek to turn timber into lumber for settlers. In 1854, they and another settler, M. B. Morris, built a second mill, Ashland Flouring Mills, to grind local wheat into flour. The community around the mill became known as "Ashland Mills". A post office was established in Ashland Mills in 1855 with Helman as postmaster. During the 1860s and 1870s the community grew, establishing
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#1732875865066888-503: A school, churches, businesses and a large employer, Ashland Woolen Mills, which produced clothing and blankets from local wool. In 1871, the Post Office dropped "Mills" from Ashland's name. In 1872 Reverend J. H. Skidmore opened a college, Ashland Academy, a predecessor of Southern Oregon University . In 1887, Portland, Oregon , and San Francisco, California , were joined by rail at Ashland. Until 1926, when most rail service began taking
962-564: Is 47 percent in Medford, varying from 26 percent in July to 76 percent in December. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Ashland has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csb ). On average, Ashland tends to be 2-3 °F cooler than Medford due to being 600 feet higher in elevation. The coolest month is December, with an average high temperature of 47 °F or 8.3 °C, and
1036-482: Is a 93-acre (38 ha) park, including 42 acres (17 ha) on the National Register of Historic Places, that begins near the downtown shopping area and extends upstream along Ashland Creek near the center of the city. It includes two ponds, a Japanese garden , tennis courts, two public greens, a bandshell (outdoor stage) and miles of hiking trails. The name Lithia comes from natural mineral water found in
1110-685: Is part of the Asante health network based in Medford . As of 2015, it has 49 inpatient beds. The Ashland Public Library building was expanded from the city's original Carnegie library . In 2003, the historic Carnegie portion of the library was restored. In 2006, budget problems led to the closing in April 2007 of the Ashland Library and 14 others in Jackson County. The event, which lasted until October 2007,
1184-486: Is particularly good for growing fruit, especially pears, and for producing other crops and farm goods such as hay, grain, poultry, and beef. Cloud cover in nearby Medford varies from an average of 21 percent in July to 86 percent in December. On average, precipitation falls in Ashland on 114 days each year and totals about 20 inches (510 mm). The average annual snowfall is only 1.4 inches or 0.04 metres. The average relative humidity, measured at 4 p.m. daily,
1258-809: Is published online periodically during the academic year. The print edition of The Siskiyou began in 1926, and its editorial staff pioneered the shift to an entirely online student newspaper in January 2012. The Siskiyou received top honors in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association's Collegiate Newspaper Contest in 2009 and 2018. SOU News, an online “news portal” managed by the university's Marketing and Communications office, launched in September 2018. It publishes several staff-written stories each week about SOU news and events, and provides daily links to stories about SOU from external media. Many of
1332-522: Is represented by Democrat Jeff Golden . At the federal level, Cliff Bentz , a Republican , represents Ashland as part of Oregon's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives . Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley , both Democrats , serve the state of Oregon in the United States Senate . Historically, Ashland has been a political outlier in southwest Oregon. In
1406-461: Is the first university in the United States to offer a Transgender Studies Certificate. On February 9, 2021, Southern Oregon University was named #4 on a ranking of "Most Affordable Online Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities in 2021." Southern Oregon University and Rogue Community College worked together to implement the guidelines of the white paper "Annexation of Jackson County to
1480-473: The Fourth of July , the Mountain Rangers ordered new uniforms with matching dark blue coats and pants. Jackson County officials rented a saloon in Ashland to serve as an armory for weapons and ammunition supplied by the state. The Rangers were primarily a marching and social organization with many of the region's leading citizens in the ranks. Prominent Oregon pioneer Abel Helman served as captain. A highlight for
1554-876: The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and foreign agencies concerned with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Ashland City Band (ACB) was organized in the late 19th century as the Ashland Brass Band. The band used an octagonal gazebo-style bandstand in Lithia Park until the Butler Memorial Band Shell was built in Lithia Park in 1946. The ACB gives public concerts there each summer between June and August. Lithia Park
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#17328758650661628-766: The National Register of Historic Places . The structures include the Enders Building (home of the Columbia Hotel ), which from 1910 to 1928 contained the largest mercantile establishment between Sacramento and Portland. Some of Ashland's houses built before 1900 are: the Orlando Coolidge House (1875), the Isaac Woolen House (1876), the W. H. Atkinson House (1880), the John McCall House (1883),
1702-700: The Nils Ahlstrom House (1888), the H. B. Carter House (1888), and the Colonel William H. Silsby House (1896). The E. V. Carter House (built in 1909) is in a remarkably good state of preservation. Ashland is at 1,949 feet (594 m) above sea level in the foothills of the Siskiyou and Cascade ranges, about 15 miles (24 km) north of the California border on Interstate 5 (I-5). About 10 miles (16 km) south of Ashland and 5 miles (8 km) north of
1776-761: The Red-tailed Hawk as their mascot. Southern Oregon's football team won the NAIA Football Championship in 2014, and its wrestling team won the National Wrestling Championship four times: in 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2001. The Raiders men's cross country team won the NAIA Men's Cross Country Championship in 2010 and 2016; the men's and women's teams won the NAIA Cross Country Championship Combined Title in 2018; and
1850-739: The Renaissance style . In 1932, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education renamed the institute Southern Oregon Normal School . The school's speech and drama professor, Angus Bowmer , staged a Fourth of July production of Shakespeare's “ Merchant of Venice ” in 1935, launching what would become the Oregon Shakespeare Festival . The college received full accreditation from the American Association of Teachers Colleges in 1939, and Oregon Governor Charles A. Sprague signed
1924-478: The Rogue River Wars , continued until 1856. In 1851, gold was discovered at Rich Gulch, a tributary of Jackson Creek, and a tent city grew on its banks, today's Jacksonville . Settlers arrived in the Ashland area in January 1852, including Robert B. Hargadine, Sylvester Pease, Abel D. Helman, Eber Emery, and others. Helman and Hargadine filed the first donation land claims in Ashland. Helman and Emery built
1998-788: The Shasta people lived in the valley along Ashland Creek approximately where today's city is located. Early Hudson's Bay Company hunters and trappers following the Siskiyou Trail passed through the site in the 1820s. In the late 1840s, mainly American settlers following the Applegate Trail began passing through the area. By the early 1850s, the Donation Land Claim Act brought many to the Rogue Valley and into conflict with its native people. These often violent clashes, known ultimately as
2072-739: The Southwest POINT , a daily shuttle carrying passengers between Brookings and the Amtrak station in Klamath Falls. The Klamath Falls Amtrak Station serves the Coast Starlight long-haul passenger train on track owned by the Union Pacific Railroad . Ashland Municipal Airport , with a 3,600-foot (1,100 m) asphalt runway, offers general aviation services. Medford International Airport , 12 miles (19 km) from Ashland, also serves
2146-446: The confluence of Ashland Creek (which flows through Lithia Park). The 18-mile (29 km) path follows Bear Creek between Ashland and Central Point and passes through Talent, Phoenix , and Medford. Calle Guanajuato is a small park bordering Ashland Creek, with several restaurants offering outdoor dining. Southern Oregon University, a public co-ed four-year university founded in 1926, offers courses of study toward degrees in
2220-633: The rain shadow of the Oregon Coast Range to the west. The largest urban areas in this zone in addition to Ashland are Medford and Grants Pass in the Rogue Valley, and Roseburg in the Umpqua River Valley further north. Although the mountain peaks in this zone receive up to 120 inches or 3,050 millimetres of precipitation a year, the urban areas and the valleys in which they lie generally get 20 inches (510 mm) or less. This valley climate
2294-584: The 10-week quarter system . The university's Oregon Center for the Arts enjoys a collaborative relationship with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival , located in downtown Ashland. Southern Oregon University is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities . Southern Oregon University began as Ashland Academy in 1872, founded by Ashland's Methodist Episcopal Church . The Rev. Joseph Henry Skidmore served as its first president. In 1878,
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2368-564: The Ashland Academy, has been in its current location since 1926, and was known by nine other names before assuming its current name in 1997. Its Ashland campus – just 14 miles from Oregon's border with California – encompasses 175 acres. Five of SOU's newest facilities have achieved LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council . SOU is headquarters for Jefferson Public Radio and public access station Rogue Valley Community Television. The university has been governed since 2015 by
2442-515: The Ashland area. It has a strong mineral taste and slight effervescence, and the lithia water fountains found on the town plaza are frequently tasted by unsuspecting tourists (often at the behest of residents or frequent visitors who use the fountains as a cheap, humorous Ashland initiation rite ). A hiking and biking path, the Bear Creek Greenway , begins in Ashland near the intersection of West Nevada Street with Helman Street, close to
2516-539: The California border is Siskiyou Summit , which at 4,310 feet (1,310 m) is the highest point on I-5. Ashland is about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Medford and 285 miles (459 km) south of Portland. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of about 6.6 square miles (17.1 km ), all land. Ashland Creek and its tributaries begin on the flanks of Mount Ashland , at 7,533 feet (2,296 m) above sea level in
2590-591: The City of Ashland about 250. The Bathroom Readers' Press, which produces the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader books, is based in Ashland and San Diego. Brammo , specializing in battery-electric motorcycles, was based in Ashland but moved to Talent . The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has grown from a summer outdoor series in the 1930s to a season that stretches from February to October, incorporating Shakespearean and non-Shakespearean plays at three theaters. The OSF has become
2664-462: The District of Rogue Community College," signed on March 6, 1996. During the 1997–99 biennium, Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University received regional partnership funding from the legislature to jointly launch several new initiatives to provide additional access for a larger number of residents in southern Oregon. Construction on the downtown Medford center broke ground March 2007 and
2738-728: The Master of Arts in Teaching (a two-year, part-time version of the Southern Oregon University one-year Master of Arts in Teaching program). The presidents of SOU, RCC, Oregon Institute of Technology and Klamath Community College jointly announced in November 2018 their creation of the Southern Oregon Higher Education Consortium. The alliance is intended to streamline students’ educational pathways and address
2812-740: The Oregon militiamen was the Military Ball at the Ashland Hotel on Jan. 8, 1864, in celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans . The Mountain Rangers are one of the best documented Oregon militia units because of the meticulous journal kept by company journalist and future captain Oliver Applegate . The Oregon volunteer troops were demobilized beginning in 1866 when federal troops moved back into
2886-1074: The Raiders. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) for most of its sports since the 1993–94 academic year; while its football team competes in the Frontier Conference , and its wrestling team competes as an Independent. Southern Oregon competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, cross country, cycling, football, golf, soccer, track & field and wrestling; women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cheerleading, cross country, cycling, dance, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, volleyball and wrestling. Club sports include baseball, crew, judo, lacrosse, rugby, skiing, men's soccer, swimming, men's tennis and ultimate frisbee. The school has
2960-612: The SOU Board of Trustees. Southern Oregon University is organized into seven academic divisions: the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU; Business, Communication and the Environment; Education, Health and Leadership; Humanities and Culture; Social Sciences; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; and Undergraduate Studies. About 90 bachelor's degree, graduate and certificate programs are offered. Most of SOU's academic programs are on
3034-414: The Siskiyou Mountains south of the city. Upstream (south) of the city boundary, these streams flow mainly through the Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forest . The creek flows through the city to meet Bear Creek , which roughly parallels I-5 along the east side of Ashland. Bear Creek, one of many streams in the Rogue Valley , flows generally northwest to join the Rogue River near Gold Hill , and from there
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3108-475: The age of 18, and about 16% were between the ages of 18 and 24. Rounded to the nearest whole number, 21% were from 25 to 44 years old; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 18% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was about 46% male and 54% female. In 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $ 41,334, and the median income for a family was $ 58,409. Males had a median income of $ 50,368 versus $ 34,202 for females. The per capita income for
3182-597: The area's springs. During the Fourth of July celebration in 1935, Angus L. Bowmer arranged the first performances of what would become the Oregon Shakespeare Festival . The festival has grown since then, and has become an award-winning and internationally known regional theater company. Ashland was a sundown town at least until World War II. Many of Ashland's historic buildings have been preserved and restored. The city has 59 individual structures and four historic districts (Downtown District, Siskiyou-Hargadine District, Railroad District, Skidmore Academy District) on
3256-404: The call letters KSOC and the nickname "Radio Free Ashland" shut down in February 2013 after 14 years of broadcasting. Rogue Valley Community Television , based at Southern Oregon University, serves Jackson and Josephine counties. Ashland has no commercial television stations, but nearby Medford has seven. The Asante Ashland Community Hospital is a general medical and surgical hospital that
3330-428: The center are chamber music concerts, a Shakespeare institute, a piano series, and other art-related events. The annual Ashland New Plays Festival (ANPF) is a nonprofit organization that encourages playwrights to develop new work through public readings. Each year, the ANPF holds an international competition that winnows hundreds of submissions to four plays that are read to live audiences by professional actors during
3404-418: The city as the People's Republic of Ashland . Income from tourism is important to Ashland's economy. A large number of restaurants, galleries, and retail stores cater to thousands of visitors who attend plays each year at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. In 2011, the festival sold more than 390,000 tickets to its theater productions. The town's largest employer is Southern Oregon University (SOU), which has
3478-491: The city was $ 28,941. About 21% of the population and 13% of families had incomes below the poverty line . Out of the total population, about 30% of those under the age of 18 and 3.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. By 2020, the population had risen to 21,360. The per capita income had risen to about $ 45,000 and the median household income to $ 64,000. Of the total population, 96% of Ashland residents 25 and older had graduated from high school while 62% had
3552-399: The city was about 90% White , 2% Asian , 1% African American , 1% Native American , 0.3% Pacific Islander , 1.4% from other races, and 4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were about 5% of the population. There were 9,409 households, out of which about 21% had children under the age of 18 living with them. About 34% were married couples living together; 10% had
3626-435: The city. The City of Ashland moved to improve local broadband Internet access in the late 1990s by creating the Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) and building a fiber optic ring inside the city boundaries. However, by 2006 the city faced difficulties servicing AFN's debt load, which was approaching $ 15.5 million. The city hired a new AFN director, Joe Franell, who suggested scrapping cable television service while retaining
3700-470: The five days of the festival. In 2009, Ashland was the setting for the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman 's Coraline . The Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University focuses on academic programs including creative arts (art, emerging media and creative writing), music, and theater. Affiliated with the center is the Schneider Museum of Art, which has rotation exhibitions of works featuring professional contemporary artists. Also affiliated with
3774-484: The institution's needs in 1897 and approved a first-time appropriation of $ 7,500. The school flourished, but the legislature reversed course in 1909 and eliminated funding for Oregon's normal schools. Southern Oregon State Normal School closed at the end of the school year and remained shuttered until state funding was reestablished in 1925. The state restarted Southern Oregon State Normal School in Ashland on 24 acres at its current location in 1926. The first building on
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#17328758650663848-449: The largest regional repertory theater in the United States. The Oregon Cabaret Theater features musicals and comedy throughout the year. Opened in 1986, the dinner theater occupies a former First Baptist Church built in Mission Revival style. The Ashland Independent Film Festival , which shows international and domestic films of almost every genre, takes place each April in the Varsity Theatre downtown. About 90 films are shown during
3922-417: The liberal arts, science, business, and education. With an enrollment of about 4,400 undergraduates as of Fall 2020, this urban university also offers graduate-level programs on its 175-acre (71 ha) campus. In 2020–21, about 59 percent of the university's students were women, and about 38 percent were men, while 3 percent were listed as other/unknown. The student–faculty ratio in 2020–21
3996-449: The library The Lenn and Dixie Hannon Library but the facility's name was later changed to The Hannon Library. The project almost doubled the size of the existing library and created much-needed room to expand publications and collections. The library also received many technological advancements that provide long-term value for the community. The Siskiyou , a student-edited university paper staffed by student reporters and photographers. It
4070-446: The main campus, classes are offered at a Medford facility that SOU shares with Rogue Community College . The Oregon Health & Science University also maintains a school of nursing program at the SOU main campus. As of the 2019–2020 academic year, three SOU faculty members in three years had been awarded Fulbright scholarships to teach, lecture and conduct research at various institutions worldwide. Southern Oregon University
4144-404: The majors offered at the university have associated clubs. There are clubs for hobbies, sports and music, and for support for multiculturalism. Southern Oregon University students are involved in community arts. Outside magazine rated Southern Oregon University one of the top 20 schools in the U.S. where students can hit the books and the backcountry. The Princeton Review named SOU one of
4218-418: The more profitable high-speed Internet access. In October 2006, the cable television service was transferred to a local company, Ashland Home Net, while the City retained both the infrastructure and the wholesale Internet business. Ashland has two sister cities : Southern Oregon University Southern Oregon University ( SOU ) is a public university in Ashland, Oregon . It was founded in 1872 as
4292-537: The most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada. SOU became the original Bee Campus USA in 2015 and in 2018 it was named the nation's top pollinator-friendly college by the Sierra Club , as part of its annual “Cool Schools” rankings. The university was recognized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities as the 2019 recipient of AASCU's Excellence and Innovation Award for comprehensive sustainability and sustainable development. Student activities and support are supplemented by
4366-439: The new campus was Churchill Hall, named for the college's president, Julius A. Churchill. Ashland residents passed the "Normal School Site Bonds" to purchase the campus property and the legislature approved $ 175,000 to build the new facility, which now serves as SOU's administrative building. Inlow Hall at Eastern Oregon University was built from a copy of the building plans for Churchill Hall, designed by architect John Bennes in
4440-404: The northwest. No longer did the citizens of Oregon nor the state legislature consider the need for a well-armed and disciplined reserve force. Ashland, Oregon Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon , United States. It lies along Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles (26 km) north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley . The city's population
4514-463: The only other months with over 8 inches or 203.2 millimetres have been December 1996 with 10.89 inches (276.6 mm), November 1903 with 8.10 inches (205.7 mm) and November 1998 with 8.03 inches (204.0 mm). Ashland's coldest recorded daytime temperature was 15 °F (−9 °C) in December 1972. During the full year, the coldest day of the year averages around 34 °F (1 °C) or just above freezing. Warm summer nights are rare, with
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#17328758650664588-444: The presidential election of 1860, Ashland favored Abraham Lincoln while its neighbors strongly preferred pro-slavery candidates. In the early 1900s, Ashland voters supported women's suffrage and prohibition , generally out of step with the rest of the region. In more recent elections, Ashland has supported tax levies and environmental regulations opposed by voters elsewhere in Jackson and nearby counties. Critics sometimes refer to
4662-468: The record of 74 °F (23 °C) being set as far back as 1910. The mean for the warmest summer night between 1991 and 2020 was at a mild 62 °F (17 °C). At the census of 2010, there were 20,078 people, 9,409 households, and 4,542 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,047 inhabitants per square mile (1,176/km ). There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 1,587 per square mile (613/km ). The racial makeup of
4736-506: The region's specific workforce needs. Separate meetings of academic officers and enrollment leaders from the four institutions are held regularly to discuss complementary academic programs, transfer agreements and other issues of mutual interest. The library was named after Oregon state senator Lenn Hannon after he secured $ 20 million in government bonds and $ 3.5 million in private support. The Hannon Library finished construction in 2005. The Oregon State Board of Higher Education initially named
4810-427: The river flows generally west to its mouth on the Pacific Ocean . Oregon Route 99 , running roughly parallel to I-5, passes through downtown Ashland. Oregon Route 66 enters Ashland from the east and intersects Route 99 near the city center. Route 66 leads east 63 miles (101 km) to Klamath Falls . Ashland lies within Oregon's southwest interior climate zone, in which all but the higher-elevation sites are in
4884-552: The same time led to a plan to establish a mineral spa at the park. Voters approved bonds to pay for the project, which included piping the mineral water from its source to Ashland. The town engaged John McLaren , landscape architect of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park , to design the park, renamed Lithia Springs Park, later shortened to Lithia Park. Although the park was popular, the mineral spa plans proved too expensive for local taxpayers and were abandoned in 1916. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs took to bottling and selling mineral waters from
4958-513: The school was renamed the Ashland Academy and Commercial College , and then renamed Ashland College and Normal School in 1882, Ashland State Normal School in 1886 and Southern Oregon State Normal School in 1895. While Oregon lawmakers designated the institution in 1882 as an official state normal school – a teachers’ college – the state provided no funding. It closed in 1890 and reopened five years later, still relying on tuition and donations for revenue. The Oregon Legislature finally recognized
5032-534: The warmest month is July, with an average high of about 88 °F or 31.1 °C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Ashland was 108 °F (42.2 °C), observed in August 1981, and the record low of −4 °F (−20 °C) occurred in December 1972. The wettest "rain year" has been from July 1926 to June 1927 with 29.77 inches (756.2 mm) and the driest from July 1954 to June 1955 with only 10.37 inches (263.4 mm). The wettest month on record has been December 1964 with 11.28 inches (286.5 mm), but
5106-497: Was 19 to 1. Full-time undergraduate tuition in 2020–21 was about $ 11,000 per year for Oregon residents and $ 28,000 for non-residents. The Oregon Extension is a college educational extension program located near Ashland in the Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument . The Ashland School District oversees three elementary schools, three optional alternative programs for children in kindergarten through eighth grade; one middle school, and Ashland High School . The Mail Tribune ,
5180-444: Was 21,360 at the 2020 census . The city is the home of Southern Oregon University (SOU) and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). These are important to Ashland's economy, which also depends on restaurants, galleries, and retail stores that cater to tourists. Lithia Park along Ashland Creek , historic buildings, and a paved intercity bike trail provide additional visitor attractions. Ashland, originally called "Ashland Mills",
5254-471: Was completed September 2008. The three-story, 68,700-square-foot (6,380 m ) center includes classrooms, science labs, computer labs, a Prometric Testing Center and the Business Center. The Higher Education Center offers lower- and upper-division level courses, as well as three master's degree programs: Master in Business Administration (offered in a cohort format with classes held on Saturdays), Master in Management (courses offered online and at night), and
5328-414: Was named after Ashland County, Ohio , the original home of founder Abel Helman , and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky , where other founders had family connections. Ashland has a council-manager government assisted by citizen committees. Historically, its liberal politics have differed, often sharply, with much of the rest of southwest Oregon. Prior to the arrival of White settlers in mid-19th century,
5402-566: Was renamed Southern Oregon State College in 1975 and became Southern Oregon University in 1997. The campus now includes 175 acres with modern facilities, enrollment of more than 6,000 students and more than 1,100 degrees conferred annually. Southern Oregon University consists of seven academic divisions: the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU; Business, Communications and the Environment; Education, Health and Leadership; Humanities and Culture; Social Sciences; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; and Undergraduate Studies. In addition to
5476-485: Was the largest library closure in U.S. history. Although some of its services are handled by a private company, Library Systems and Services, the Ashland branch remains part of the Jackson County network of public libraries. Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) provides bus service to much of the city, with connections to Medford, Central Point, Talent, Phoenix, White City, and Jacksonville. In Medford, passengers can connect to other regional bus lines, including
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