Medford, Oregon
Encyclopedia
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. The city was named in 1883 by David Loring, civil engineer and right-of-way agent for the Oregon and California Railroad
for his home town of Medford, Massachusetts
and in recognition of its supposed position on the middle ford of Bear Creek.
Medford is the county seat
of Jackson County
.
In 1883, a group of railroad surveyors headed by S. L. Dolson and David Loring arrived in Rock Point, near present day Gold Hill
. They were charged with finding the best route through the Rogue Valley
for the Oregon and California Railroad
. Citizens of neighboring Jacksonville
hoped that it would pass between their town and Hanley Butte, near the present day Claire Hanley Arboretum
. Such a move would have all but guaranteed prosperous growth for Jacksonville, but Dolson decided instead to stake the railroad closer to Bear Creek.
The response from Jacksonville was mixed, but the decision was final. By November 1883, a depot
site had been chosen and a surveying team led by Charles J. Howard was hard at work platting the new town. They completed their work in early December 1883, laying out 82 blocks for development.
James Sullivan Howard, a New Hampshire
Freemason
, claimed to have built the town's first building in January 1884, though blacksmith Emil Piel was advertising for business at the "central depot" in the middle of December.
Others point out the farms of town founders Iradell Judson Phipps and Charles Wesley Broback, which were present before the town was platted. Regardless, on February 6, 1884 (less than a month after it was built), J. S. Howard's store became Medford's first post office, with Howard serving as postmaster
. The establishment of the post office led to the incorporation of the Medford as a town by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
on February 24, 1885, and again as a city in 1905. Howard held the position of postmaster for Medford's first ten years, and again held the post upon his death on November 13, 1919.
The beginning of the 20th century was a transitional period. Medford built a new steel bridge over Bear Creek to replace an earlier one which washed away three years before. Without a bridge, those wanting to cross had to ford
the stream, typically using a horse-drawn wagon; the first automobile did not arrive in Medford until 1903. Pharmacist George H. Haskins had opened a drugstore just after the town was platted, and in 1903 he allowed the Medford Library Association to open a small library in that store. Five years later the library moved to Medford's new city hall, in another four years, Andrew Carnegie
's donation allowed a dedicated library to be built. Construction on the Medford Carnegie Library
was completed in 1912.
In 1927, Medford took the title of county seat of Jackson County
away from nearby Jacksonville.
In 1967, Interstate 5
was completed immediately adjacent to downtown Medford to replace the Oregon Pacific Highway. It has been blamed for the decline of small businesses in downtown Medford since its completion, but nevertheless remains an important route for commuters wishing to travel across the city. In fact, a study completed in 1999 found that 45% of vehicles entering I-5 from north Medford heading south exited in south Medford, just three miles (5 km) away.
The high volume of traffic on Interstate 5 led to the completion of a new north Medford interchange in 2006. The project, which cost about $36 million, improved traffic flow between I-5 and Crater Lake Highway. Further traffic problems identified in south Medford prompted the construction of another new interchange, costing $72 million. The project began in 2006 and was completed in 2010.
Since the 1990s, Medford has dedicated an appreciable amount of resources to urban renewal
in an attempt to revitalize the downtown area. Several old buildings have been restored, including the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater
and the Prohibition era Cooley-Neff Warehouse, now operating as Pallet Wine Company, an urban winery. Streets have been realigned, new sidewalks, traffic signals, and bicycle lanes were installed, and two new parking garages have been built. Downtown Medford also received a new library building to replace the historic Medford Carnegie Library and now boasts satellite campuses for both Rogue Community College
and Southern Oregon University
.
Economic problems in 2008 and 2009 put a hold on The Commons project, a collaboration between the city of Medford and Lithia Motors
. The project, one of the largest undertaken in downtown in recent years, aims to provide more parking, recreation, and commerce to the area. Before the work stopped, the Greyhound Bus
depot was moved and $850,000 was spent replacing water lines. Originally, The Commons was to be the home of the 10 story corporate headquarters of Lithia. It has since been scaled back to a four story building in wake of the economic uncertainty. Ground breaking for the project was April 22, 2011 with a Phase 1 completion date of 2012.
Medford is located approximately 27 miles (43.5 km) north of the northern California border at 42.3°N. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), all land. The Pacific Ocean is about 75 miles (120.7 km) west of the city, and is the nearest coast. The nearest river is the Rogue River
(8 mi, 13 km), and the nearest lake is Agate Lake
(13 mi, 21 km).
Nearby cities include Grants Pass
, Klamath Falls
, Ashland
, Roseburg
, Redding
(California), and Crescent City
(California). Medford is 229 miles (368.5 km) from Salem
, the capital of Oregon.
The nearest interstate highway is I-5
, which runs northwest-southeast through the center of the city. The nearest junctions with other interstate highways are with I-84
in Portland
(273 mi, 439 km) and I-80
in Sacramento
(309 mi, 497 km). Medford also serves as a junction for Oregon Routes 99, 238, 62, and nearby 140 (6 mi/10 km).
Medford is also situated in the remains of ancient volcanic flow areas as demonstrated by the Upper and Lower Table Rock
lava formations and nearby Mount McLoughlin
and Crater Lake
, which is the remains of Mount Mazama
. In the late spring/early summer the snow on the slopes of Mount McLoughlin melt away into a formation called the "angel wings," which Native American tribes interpreted as an osprey
, an indicator of the beginning of salmon run.
between the Cascade Range
and Siskiyou Mountains
called the Rogue Valley
. As such, most of the rain associated with the Pacific Northwest and Oregon in particular skips Medford, making it drier and sunnier than the Willamette Valley
. Medford's climate is considerably warmer, both in summer and winter, than its latitude would suggest, with a Mediterranean climate
(Köppen
Csa). Summers are akin to Eastern Oregon, and winters resemble the coast. In Medford, summer often includes as many as ninety days over 90 °F (32 °C), with temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C) common in July and August. In August 1981, the temperature stayed over 110 °F (43 °C) for 4 days, with two days reaching 114 °F (46 °C). Medford also experiences temperature inversion
s in the winter which during its lumber mill days produced fog so thick that visibility could be reduced to less than five feet. These inversions can last for weeks; some suggest this is because the metropolitan area has one of the lowest average wind speeds of all American metropolitan areas.
Medford residents do experience snowfall during the winter months, however, due to the weather shadow effect it usually only averages about 5 inches (12.7 cm) and melts fairly quickly. In the past, Medford has seen snowfall measurements reach 31 inches (79 cm) (1955–1956).
The lowest recorded temperature in Medford was −10 °F (−23.3 °C) on December 13, 1919,
and the highest recorded temperature was 115 °F (46.1 °C) on July 20, 1946.
Medford has a council-manager
style of government. The governing body of Medford consists of an elected mayor and eight city council members, two from each of four wards. The council hires a professional city manager to run the day-to-day operations of the city including the hiring of city staff.
The mayor and council members are not paid, but are reimbursed for expenses.
His current term expires in December 2012.
Wheeler is an optometrist with an office in Medford. Prior to his election, he spent thirteen years on the Medford Urban Renewal Agency Board and served in the US Army
where he also practiced optometry.
Medford municipal code divides the city into four wards, each represented by two city council members. Every biennium, one member from each ward is elected to serve a four-year term, creating an overlap where half of the eight-member council remains in office while the other half must campaign for reelection.
Medford's economy is driven primarily by the health care industry.
Medford is the economic center for over 460,000 people located in Southern Oregon and Northern California. The Projected 2008 retail sales in the Greater Medford Area are $7.5 billion dollars. The average is more than the expanded Portland and Eugene markets.
In the past, Medford's economy was fueled by agriculture (pears, peaches, viticulture grapes) and timber products. The largest direct marketer of fruits and food gifts in the United States, Harry and David Operations Corp., is based in Medford. It is the largest employer in Southern Oregon, with 1,700 year round and about 6,700 seasonal employees in the Medford area. Harry and David was founded in 1910 to market the harvest from the orchards of the Rogue Valley
.
Benchmark Maps
, founded in Medford in 1995, produces detailed atlases and maps in 10 western states. Falcon Northwest
, a personal computer manufacturing company, has been operating in Medford since 2002. A film production company, Pacific International Enterprises
, has been distributing films from Medford since the 1970s.
Lithia Motors
, the 8th largest auto retailer in the U.S., has been headquartered in Medford since 1970. Publicly traded on the NYSE as LAD, Lithia operates nearly 100 dealerships west of the Mississippi River.
As there are no towns of equal or larger size within several hours' drive, Medford is a regional hub for medical services. The two major medical centers in the city, Rogue Valley Medical Center
and Providence Medford Medical Center, employ over 2,000 people. As Medford is also a retirement destination, assisted living and senior services have become an important part of the economy.
Medford and the surrounding area is home to the expanding Oregon wine
industry that includes a large variety of Bordelaise
, Rhone
, and Burgundian
varietals including merlot
, cabernet sauvignon
, syrah, zinfandel
, pinot noir
, gewürztraminer
, riesling
, pinot gris
, chardonnay
, pinot blanc
, early muscat
, and Gamay Noir
. Unlike the rest of Oregon, the region has also enjoyed success with two lesser-known varietals: Tempranillo
, the red grape known best as the foundation of Spanish Rioja
, and Viognier
, a white grape previously found only in isolated parts of the Rhone
region.
, and 3.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.25% of the population.
There were 25,093 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,481, and the median income for a family was $43,972. Males had a median income of $34,533 versus $23,714 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,170. About 10.3% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
The oldest park in Medford, Alba Park is located at the intersection of Holly and Main in downtown Medford. Originally called Library Park due to its proximity to the Medford Carnegie Library
, it was later renamed for Medford's sister city, Alba, Italy
. The park contains a gazebo
, a statue of a boy with two dogs surrounded by a fountain pool, and a Japanese gun from World War II.
The annual Pear Blossom Run starts across the street from Alba Park at the Medford city hall
, with an all-day fair conducted in the park itself.
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At nearly 100 acre (0.404686 km²), this south Medford park is the second largest in the city (Prescott Park
is the largest at 1,740 acres). Bear Creek Park is bordered on the west by Bear Creek and the Bear Creek Greenway
. On the park grounds are four tennis courts, a skatepark
, a dog park
, an amphitheater
, a large playground
, a BMX
track, and a community garden.
Since 1925, the property hosting Bear Creek Park has been used for several purposes. The first section was purchased from a resident of Medford named Mollie Keene. The town used it for incinerating garbage
until 1939. After that, it spent 20 years as a girl scout
day camp before seeing private ownership again for a few years. Concerns about pollution in the Bear Creek received media attention in 1963 and the city purchased more property. In 1988, a playground designed by Robert Leathers of New York was built.
Michael Hanley Farmstead along present day Oregon Route 238. It is part of a larger agriculture research center belonging to the Oregon State University
. Located on the grounds are species of the dogwood
cornus mas, the dove tree
, and the Sorrel tree.
The Medford Carnegie Library is a two-story library building located in downtown Medford. It was erected in 1911 thanks to a gift from Andrew Carnegie
, but was vacated in 2004 after a new library building was constructed near the Rogue Community College
extension campus, also in downtown Medford. Currently, there are plans to use the building for class reunions, public meetings, and for annexing some city offices from the neighboring City Hall building.
One of Medford's most prominent landmarks, Roxy Ann Peak is a 30 million year old dormant volcano located on the east side of the city. At 3573 feet (1,089.1 m), the mountain rises almost 2000 feet (609.6 m) above the valley floor. It was named for Roxy Ann Bowen, an early settler who lived in its foothills.
A significant area of Roxy Ann Peak (including the summit) is enclosed in Medford's largest park, a 1740 acre protected area called Prescott Park. The land was set aside in the 1930s and named in honor of George J. Prescott, a police officer killed in the line of duty in 1933.
The most commonly used trail on Roxy Ann Peak, part of Prescott Park, climbs about 950 feet (289.6 m) from the beginning of the footpath at the second gate to a height of about 3547 feet (1,081.1 m). The trail is about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) one-way, and provides a panoramic view of the Rogue Valley.
Finished in 1997 at the intersection of E. Main St and Central Ave in downtown Medford, Vogel Plaza has quickly become a center of activity for many local events. One such event is the annual Art in Bloom festival, which is held around Mother's Day
each year. During the two-day festival, over 10,000 people attend and more than 75 artists showcase their work while surrounded by live entertainment, workshops, food, and children's activities.
and North Medford High School
. In addition to the two public high schools, Medford has several private high schools. Two of the largest are St. Mary's School and Cascade Christian High School
. In addition, there are 14 public elementary schools and two public middle schools
, (Hedrick and McLoughlin). Medford 549C has over 12,500 students enrolled.
Crossroads School is a private, alternative high school operating in Medford along with three others operated or affiliated with a church; Cascade Christian High School
, St. Mary's High School, and Rogue Valley Adventist School
. Grace Christian and Sacred Heart School are private elementary and middle schools in Medford.
In 1997, Grants Pass
-based Rogue Community College
(RCC) completed construction on a seven-building campus spanning five blocks in downtown Medford. Nearby Ashland
-based Southern Oregon University
collaborated with Rogue in 2007 on the construction of an eighth building which will offer third- and fourth-year courses to students. Pacific Bible College, formerly named Dove Bible Institute, was founded in Medford in 1989.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
publication "Crime in the United States" provides unranked statistical data from law enforcement agencies across the United States. The table to the right are statistics reported for the city of Medford for the years 2004 through 2007.
As with any city that experiences rapid growth, Medford has seen a recent surge in gang activity and organized crime in the past decade.
Methamphetamine use is a problem in Medford and southern Oregon and is believed to play a role in numerous property crimes, including identity theft.
. It began circulation
in 1909 after a merger between the Medford-based Mail and the Ashland
-based Tribune. As of 2004, an average of 37,000 copies of the Mail Tribune are in circulation each day.
, of the Northwest League
. They were a short-season single-A minor league baseball
affiliate of the Oakland Athletics
who played at historic Miles Field
from 1979 to 1999 before relocating to Vancouver
, British Columbia. There is currently talk about bringing an expansion franchise to Medford, but there is no suitable stadium to host such a team at the moment.
Medford also hosted a professional indoor football team from the National Indoor Football League
known as the Southern Oregon Heat
in 2001. It played in the Compton Arena at the Jackson County Expo Park.
Medford's Lava Lanes bowling alley previously hosted the PBA
's Medford Open every January, which aired on ESPN, the last Open took place in 2009.
runways which handle about sixty daily flight
s from five airlines.
With expansion of the airport terminal underway, the facilities are quickly being upgraded.
(RVTD) since 1975. The bus
system operates eight routes from Monday to Friday, four of which travel to nearby cities Central Point
, Jacksonville
, Phoenix
, Talent
, Ashland
, and White City
. All routes connect at the Front Street Transfer Station
, which since October 2008 has contained Medford's Greyhound Bus depot.
trains serve nearby Klamath Falls
. People in Medford can board the Southwest P.O.I.N.T. (an intercity bus route) at the RVTD
Front Street Transfer Station that will deliver them to the train station in about two and a half hours.
, which is 167 miles (268.8 km) away.
The nearby Rogue River
is monitored for flood
ing at the Gold Ray Dam, a decommissioned hydroelectric dam built in 1906 near Gold Hill
. The National Weather Service
identifies 3.6 meters (12 ft) as the flood level. At this depth, navigability
between the Pacific Ocean and the Rogue Valley is limited. Even a small "handysize
" freighter
is unable to make the trip, and any ship hauling cargo to Medford would have to have a much smaller draw. Therefore, Medford does not have a nearby maritime port.
, in the classic noir film Double Indemnity. When pressed to recall the events that led to the supposed death of Dietrichson, Mr. Jackson proclaims, "Mr. Keyes, I'm a Medford man – Medford, Oregon. Up in Medford, we take our time making up our minds."
Shortly after the sister city program was established in 1960, Medford was paired up with Alba, Italy
. The cities are 9175 kilometres (5,701.1 mi) apart and were paired based on 1960 similarities in population, geography, and climate.
Each year, both Alba and Medford take turns exchanging students. During March and April of one year, students from Medford's high schools will visit Alba and stay with host families. Likewise, Alba students will visit Medford every other year. 67 Medford students applied for the 2007 trip to Italy, but only 24 were selected.
It was former mayor of Medford John W. Snider who selected Alba during his 1957–1962 term, making a satellite phone
call to Alba's former mayor Osvaldo Cagnasso.
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, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon. The city was named in 1883 by David Loring, civil engineer and right-of-way agent for the Oregon and California Railroad
Oregon and California Railroad
The Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the Railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad soon changed to Oregon & California Rail Road Company...
for his home town of Medford, Massachusetts
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
and in recognition of its supposed position on the middle ford of Bear Creek.
Medford is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Jackson County
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:...
.
History
Gold Hill, Oregon
Gold Hill is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. As of July 1, 2009, the population was 1,080 people.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
. They were charged with finding the best route through the Rogue Valley
Rogue Valley
The Rogue Valley is a farming and timber-producing region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Located along the middle Rogue River and its tributaries in Josephine and Jackson counties, the valley forms the cultural and economic heart of Southern Oregon near the California border. The...
for the Oregon and California Railroad
Oregon and California Railroad
The Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the Railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad soon changed to Oregon & California Rail Road Company...
. Citizens of neighboring Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
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....
hoped that it would pass between their town and Hanley Butte, near the present day Claire Hanley Arboretum
Claire Hanley Arboretum
Claire Hanley Arboretum is an arboretum located at on the grounds at the Oregon State University Extension and Research campus, 569 Hanley Road, Medford, Oregon....
. Such a move would have all but guaranteed prosperous growth for Jacksonville, but Dolson decided instead to stake the railroad closer to Bear Creek.
The response from Jacksonville was mixed, but the decision was final. By November 1883, a depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
site had been chosen and a surveying team led by Charles J. Howard was hard at work platting the new town. They completed their work in early December 1883, laying out 82 blocks for development.
James Sullivan Howard, a New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, claimed to have built the town's first building in January 1884, though blacksmith Emil Piel was advertising for business at the "central depot" in the middle of December.
Others point out the farms of town founders Iradell Judson Phipps and Charles Wesley Broback, which were present before the town was platted. Regardless, on February 6, 1884 (less than a month after it was built), J. S. Howard's store became Medford's first post office, with Howard serving as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. The establishment of the post office led to the incorporation of the Medford as a town by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
on February 24, 1885, and again as a city in 1905. Howard held the position of postmaster for Medford's first ten years, and again held the post upon his death on November 13, 1919.
The beginning of the 20th century was a transitional period. Medford built a new steel bridge over Bear Creek to replace an earlier one which washed away three years before. Without a bridge, those wanting to cross had to ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
the stream, typically using a horse-drawn wagon; the first automobile did not arrive in Medford until 1903. Pharmacist George H. Haskins had opened a drugstore just after the town was platted, and in 1903 he allowed the Medford Library Association to open a small library in that store. Five years later the library moved to Medford's new city hall, in another four years, Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
's donation allowed a dedicated library to be built. Construction on the Medford Carnegie Library
Medford Carnegie Library
The Medford Carnegie Library is a two-story library building located in Medford, Oregon, United States. The building was erected in 1911 as a gift from Andrew Carnegie...
was completed in 1912.
In 1927, Medford took the title of county seat of Jackson County
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:...
away from nearby Jacksonville.
In 1967, Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses the state from north to south, passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Medford.-Route description:...
was completed immediately adjacent to downtown Medford to replace the Oregon Pacific Highway. It has been blamed for the decline of small businesses in downtown Medford since its completion, but nevertheless remains an important route for commuters wishing to travel across the city. In fact, a study completed in 1999 found that 45% of vehicles entering I-5 from north Medford heading south exited in south Medford, just three miles (5 km) away.
The high volume of traffic on Interstate 5 led to the completion of a new north Medford interchange in 2006. The project, which cost about $36 million, improved traffic flow between I-5 and Crater Lake Highway. Further traffic problems identified in south Medford prompted the construction of another new interchange, costing $72 million. The project began in 2006 and was completed in 2010.
Since the 1990s, Medford has dedicated an appreciable amount of resources to urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
in an attempt to revitalize the downtown area. Several old buildings have been restored, including the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater
Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater
The Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater is a theater located in Medford, Oregon, United States. It is named in honor of Ginger Rogers, an actress who performed there as early as 1926.- History :...
and the Prohibition era Cooley-Neff Warehouse, now operating as Pallet Wine Company, an urban winery. Streets have been realigned, new sidewalks, traffic signals, and bicycle lanes were installed, and two new parking garages have been built. Downtown Medford also received a new library building to replace the historic Medford Carnegie Library and now boasts satellite campuses for both Rogue Community College
Rogue Community College
Rogue Community College is a 2-year, community college with campuses in both Jackson County and Josephine County, falling roughly in the geographic region known as the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon.-Accreditation:...
and Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University
is a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College and Southern Oregon State College . SOU offers criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs...
.
Economic problems in 2008 and 2009 put a hold on The Commons project, a collaboration between the city of Medford and Lithia Motors
Lithia Motors
Lithia Motors, Inc. is automotive dealership network headquartered in Medford, Oregon, primarily serving the western United States. It is the seventh largest automotive retailer in the United States, and ranks as number 615 on the Fortune 1000 list of the largest companies in the U.S. for 2007...
. The project, one of the largest undertaken in downtown in recent years, aims to provide more parking, recreation, and commerce to the area. Before the work stopped, the Greyhound Bus
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
depot was moved and $850,000 was spent replacing water lines. Originally, The Commons was to be the home of the 10 story corporate headquarters of Lithia. It has since been scaled back to a four story building in wake of the economic uncertainty. Ground breaking for the project was April 22, 2011 with a Phase 1 completion date of 2012.
Geography
United 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 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), all land. The Pacific Ocean is about 75 miles (120.7 km) west of the city, and is the nearest coast. The nearest river is the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
(8 mi, 13 km), and the nearest lake is Agate Lake
Agate Lake
Agate Lake is a reservoir located above sea level in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is northeast of Medford,just north of Roxy Ann Peak...
(13 mi, 21 km).
Nearby cities include Grants Pass
Grants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
, Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
, Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
, Roseburg
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Redding
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
(California), and Crescent City
Crescent City, California
Crescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, Crescent City had a total population of 7,643 in the 2010 census, up from 4,006 in the 2000 census...
(California). Medford is 229 miles (368.5 km) from Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, the capital of Oregon.
The nearest interstate highway is I-5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
, which runs northwest-southeast through the center of the city. The nearest junctions with other interstate highways are with I-84
Interstate 84 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east–west, following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail from Portland east to Idaho. For this reason, it is also known as most of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 . It...
in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(273 mi, 439 km) and I-80
Interstate 80 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 80 , a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, has its western terminus in San Francisco, California, United States. From there it heads east across the Bay Bridge to Oakland, where it turns north and crosses the Carquinez Bridge...
in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
(309 mi, 497 km). Medford also serves as a junction for Oregon Routes 99, 238, 62, and nearby 140 (6 mi/10 km).
Medford is also situated in the remains of ancient volcanic flow areas as demonstrated by the Upper and Lower Table Rock
Upper and Lower Table Rock
Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock are two prominent volcanic plateaus located just north of the Rogue River in Jackson County, Oregon. Created by an andesitic lava flow approximately seven million years ago and shaped by erosion, they now stand about above the surrounding valley...
lava formations and nearby Mount McLoughlin
Mount McLoughlin
Mount McLoughlin is a steep-sided lava cone built on top of a shield volcano in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon and within the Sky Lakes Wilderness area. It is one of the volcanic peaks in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The mountain is north of Mount Shasta, south of Crater Lake, and west of Upper...
and Crater Lake
Crater Lake
Crater Lake is a caldera lake located in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fills a nearly deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years agoby the...
, which is the remains of Mount Mazama
Mount Mazama
Mount Mazama is a destroyed stratovolcano in the Oregon part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range. The volcano's collapsed caldera holds Crater Lake, and the entire mountain is located within Crater Lake National Park....
. In the late spring/early summer the snow on the slopes of Mount McLoughlin melt away into a formation called the "angel wings," which Native American tribes interpreted as an osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, an indicator of the beginning of salmon run.
Climate
Medford sits in a weather shadowRain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
between the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
and Siskiyou Mountains
Siskiyou Mountains
The Siskiyou Mountains are a coastal mountain range in the northern Klamath Mountains in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States. They extend in an arc for approximately from east of Crescent City, California northeast along the north side of the Klamath River into...
called the Rogue Valley
Rogue Valley
The Rogue Valley is a farming and timber-producing region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Located along the middle Rogue River and its tributaries in Josephine and Jackson counties, the valley forms the cultural and economic heart of Southern Oregon near the California border. The...
. As such, most of the rain associated with the Pacific Northwest and Oregon in particular skips Medford, making it drier and sunnier than the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
. Medford's climate is considerably warmer, both in summer and winter, than its latitude would suggest, with a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Csa). Summers are akin to Eastern Oregon, and winters resemble the coast. In Medford, summer often includes as many as ninety days over 90 °F (32 °C), with temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C) common in July and August. In August 1981, the temperature stayed over 110 °F (43 °C) for 4 days, with two days reaching 114 °F (46 °C). Medford also experiences temperature inversion
Inversion (meteorology)
In meteorology, an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude. It almost always refers to a temperature inversion, i.e...
s in the winter which during its lumber mill days produced fog so thick that visibility could be reduced to less than five feet. These inversions can last for weeks; some suggest this is because the metropolitan area has one of the lowest average wind speeds of all American metropolitan areas.
Medford residents do experience snowfall during the winter months, however, due to the weather shadow effect it usually only averages about 5 inches (12.7 cm) and melts fairly quickly. In the past, Medford has seen snowfall measurements reach 31 inches (79 cm) (1955–1956).
The lowest recorded temperature in Medford was −10 °F (−23.3 °C) on December 13, 1919,
and the highest recorded temperature was 115 °F (46.1 °C) on July 20, 1946.
Government and leadership
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
style of government. The governing body of Medford consists of an elected mayor and eight city council members, two from each of four wards. The council hires a professional city manager to run the day-to-day operations of the city including the hiring of city staff.
The mayor and council members are not paid, but are reimbursed for expenses.
Mayor
The current mayor of Medford is Gary Hale Wheeler. He was first elected mayor in November 2004 with 16,653 of 28,195 votes (59%), and then was reelected in 2008 with 21,651 of 22,211 votes (97.5%).His current term expires in December 2012.
Wheeler is an optometrist with an office in Medford. Prior to his election, he spent thirteen years on the Medford Urban Renewal Agency Board and served in the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
where he also practiced optometry.
Previous mayors
- Gary Wheeler 2004 – present; Dr. Wheeler is an optometrist in the Medford area
- Lindsay Berryman, 1998–2004; first female mayor of Medford
- Jerry Lausmann, 1986–1998, the longest-serving mayor in Medford history
- Gerald "Lou" Hannum, 1983–1986
- Al Densmore (RepRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
), 1977–1983, president of the Bear Creek Greenway Foundation - Sebastiano "Benny" Fagone, 1974–1977, founded the North Medford High SchoolNorth Medford High SchoolNorth Medford High School is a public high school in Medford, Oregon, United States. It is part of Medford School District, and its mascot is the Black Tornado. It is the only school in America with the Black Tornado as a mascot.- History :...
Black Tornado softball program in 1980 - Lorin Jacobs, 1973 – 1974
- John W. Snider Sr., 1957–1962, established Medford's sister city relationship with Alba, ItalyAlba, ItalyAlba is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of the hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production...
in 1960 - Diamond "Dime" Flynn, 1949 – 1954
- Clarence A. Meeker, 1942–1948
- Halbert S. "Hob" Deuel (RepRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
), 1940–1942, former Jackson County congressman, died in 1971 - Charles C. Furnas, 1937–1940
- Earl Gaddis, 1925?
- Vernon Emerick, 1914? – 1918?, lit the city's first official Christmas tree in 1915
- William W. Eifert, ? – 1913, moved from Ohio, died of a heart attack during term on September 1, 1913, buried at the Eastwood Cemetery in Medford
- Edward P. Geary, 1888–1888,
- James S. Howard, 1887–1888, Medford's first mayor
City council
| Ward 1 | Ward 2 | Ward 3 | Ward 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2010 | Al Densmore (elected 2006) |
Ben Truwe (elected 2006) |
Jill Stout (elected 2006) |
Bob Strosser (elected 1998) |
| 2009–2012 | Dick Gordon (elected 2008) |
James Kuntz (elected 2004) |
Chris Corcoran (elected 2008) |
Greg Jones (elected 2004) |
City manager
Michael Dyal retired as City Manager, effective July 31st, 2011. The city is under the current administration of John W. Hoke, City Manager Pro-Tem, and is actively under-going the process of recruitment of a permanent City Manager.Economy
Medford is the economic center for over 460,000 people located in Southern Oregon and Northern California. The Projected 2008 retail sales in the Greater Medford Area are $7.5 billion dollars. The average is more than the expanded Portland and Eugene markets.
In the past, Medford's economy was fueled by agriculture (pears, peaches, viticulture grapes) and timber products. The largest direct marketer of fruits and food gifts in the United States, Harry and David Operations Corp., is based in Medford. It is the largest employer in Southern Oregon, with 1,700 year round and about 6,700 seasonal employees in the Medford area. Harry and David was founded in 1910 to market the harvest from the orchards of the Rogue Valley
Rogue Valley
The Rogue Valley is a farming and timber-producing region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Located along the middle Rogue River and its tributaries in Josephine and Jackson counties, the valley forms the cultural and economic heart of Southern Oregon near the California border. The...
.
Benchmark Maps
Benchmark Maps
Benchmark Maps is a map-publishing company based in Medford, Oregon and Santa Barbara, California. In 2011, the company published detailed atlases for eleven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, and Wyoming. The company got its...
, founded in Medford in 1995, produces detailed atlases and maps in 10 western states. Falcon Northwest
Falcon Northwest
Falcon Northwest is a personal computer manufacturing company located in Medford, Oregon, USA which was founded in 1992 by its current president, Kelt Reeves. The company began its existence focusing on high-end systems for Flight Simulation...
, a personal computer manufacturing company, has been operating in Medford since 2002. A film production company, Pacific International Enterprises
Pacific International Enterprises
Pacific International Enterprises is an American film production company and film distributor, founded by Arthur R. Dubs as a producer of family films. PIE is a privately held company that has been in business for over thirty years as "A Universal Force in Family Film Entertainment"...
, has been distributing films from Medford since the 1970s.
Lithia Motors
Lithia Motors
Lithia Motors, Inc. is automotive dealership network headquartered in Medford, Oregon, primarily serving the western United States. It is the seventh largest automotive retailer in the United States, and ranks as number 615 on the Fortune 1000 list of the largest companies in the U.S. for 2007...
, the 8th largest auto retailer in the U.S., has been headquartered in Medford since 1970. Publicly traded on the NYSE as LAD, Lithia operates nearly 100 dealerships west of the Mississippi River.
As there are no towns of equal or larger size within several hours' drive, Medford is a regional hub for medical services. The two major medical centers in the city, Rogue Valley Medical Center
Rogue Valley Medical Center
Rogue Valley Medical Center, or RVMC, is a regional medical center located in Medford, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1958, and currently has 378 beds. It is one of two hospitals in Medford, the other being Providence Medford Medical Center...
and Providence Medford Medical Center, employ over 2,000 people. As Medford is also a retirement destination, assisted living and senior services have become an important part of the economy.
Medford and the surrounding area is home to the expanding Oregon wine
Oregon wine
The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders which are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the...
industry that includes a large variety of Bordelaise
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
, Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
, and Burgundian
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
varietals including merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, cabernet sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, syrah, zinfandel
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia , where it was introduced in the 18th century...
, pinot noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
, riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
, pinot gris
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, pinot blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
, early muscat
Muscat (grape and wine)
The Muscat variety of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma. Muscat grapes are grown around the world...
, and Gamay Noir
Gamay
Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century...
. Unlike the rest of Oregon, the region has also enjoyed success with two lesser-known varietals: Tempranillo
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the main grape used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape". Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano , a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks...
, the red grape known best as the foundation of Spanish Rioja
Rioja (wine)
Rioja is a wine, with Denominación de Origen Calificada named after La Rioja, in Spain. Rioja is made from grapes grown not only in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and the Basque province of Álava. Rioja is further subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja...
, and Viognier
Viognier
Viognier is a white wine grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley.-History:The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown. Viognier is presumed to be an ancient grape, possibly originating in Dalmatia and then brought to Rhône by the Romans. One legend...
, a white grape previously found only in isolated parts of the Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
region.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 63,154 people, 25,093 households, and 16,511 families residing in the city. In 2005 the population was estimated at 71,000 people. The population density was 2,910.5 people per square mile (1,123.7/km²). There were 26,297 housing units at an average density of 1,211.9 per square mile (467.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.99% White, 0.50% African American, 1.07% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 3.87% from other racesRace (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 3.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.25% of the population.
There were 25,093 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,481, and the median income for a family was $43,972. Males had a median income of $34,533 versus $23,714 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,170. About 10.3% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
Alba Park
- Location: 42.3238°N 122.876°W
The oldest park in Medford, Alba Park is located at the intersection of Holly and Main in downtown Medford. Originally called Library Park due to its proximity to the Medford Carnegie Library
Medford Carnegie Library
The Medford Carnegie Library is a two-story library building located in Medford, Oregon, United States. The building was erected in 1911 as a gift from Andrew Carnegie...
, it was later renamed for Medford's sister city, Alba, Italy
Alba, Italy
Alba is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of the hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production...
. The park contains a gazebo
Gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
, a statue of a boy with two dogs surrounded by a fountain pool, and a Japanese gun from World War II.
The annual Pear Blossom Run starts across the street from Alba Park at the Medford city hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, with an all-day fair conducted in the park itself.
Bear Creek Corporation/Harry & David
Medford is the birthplace of Bear Creek Corporation, known around the world for its fruit-laden gift baskets, especially locally-grown pears. Tours of the plant are open to the public.Bear Creek Park
Roxy Ann Peak
Roxy Ann Peak is a tall mountain in the western Cascade Range located at the eastern edge of Medford, Oregon. The peak is approximately 30 million years old and is of volcanic origin. Despite its relatively small topographic prominence of , it rises above Medford and is visible from most of the...
is the largest at 1,740 acres). Bear Creek Park is bordered on the west by Bear Creek and the Bear Creek Greenway
Bear Creek Greenway
The Bear Creek Greenway is a biking/hiking path that, when complete, will extend from Central Point to Ashland. It roughly parallels Bear Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River...
. On the park grounds are four tennis courts, a skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
, a dog park
Dog park
A dog park is a facility set aside for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners...
, an amphitheater
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
, a large playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, a BMX
Bicycle motocross
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
track, and a community garden.
Since 1925, the property hosting Bear Creek Park has been used for several purposes. The first section was purchased from a resident of Medford named Mollie Keene. The town used it for incinerating garbage
Incineration
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and...
until 1939. After that, it spent 20 years as a girl scout
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
day camp before seeing private ownership again for a few years. Concerns about pollution in the Bear Creek received media attention in 1963 and the city purchased more property. In 1988, a playground designed by Robert Leathers of New York was built.
I.O.O.F. Eastwood Historic Cemetery
The cemetery, established in 1890, lies on 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) just north of Bear Creek Park. It is here where J. S. Howard and many of Medford's citizens lie in rest. Free tours are offered on a regular basis by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department at 541-774-2400.Claire Hanley Arboretum
The Claire Hanley Arboretum was first planted in 1962 by Claire and Mary Hanley, two sisters raised on the historicNational 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...
Michael Hanley Farmstead along present day Oregon Route 238. It is part of a larger agriculture research center belonging to the Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
. Located on the grounds are species of the dogwood
Dogwood
The genus Cornus is a group of about 30-60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods. Most dogwoods are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are nearly herbaceous perennial subshrubs, and a few of the woody species are evergreen...
cornus mas, the dove tree
Dove tree
The Dove Tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree, usually placed in the tupelo family , but is sometimes included in the dogwood family , and by yet others given family status of its own, as Davidiaceae. It is also known as the Handkerchief tree or Pocket-handkerchief tree...
, and the Sorrel tree.
Medford Carnegie Library
The Medford Carnegie Library is a two-story library building located in downtown Medford. It was erected in 1911 thanks to a gift from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
, but was vacated in 2004 after a new library building was constructed near the Rogue Community College
Rogue Community College
Rogue Community College is a 2-year, community college with campuses in both Jackson County and Josephine County, falling roughly in the geographic region known as the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon.-Accreditation:...
extension campus, also in downtown Medford. Currently, there are plans to use the building for class reunions, public meetings, and for annexing some city offices from the neighboring City Hall building.
Roxy Ann Peak and Prescott Park
One of Medford's most prominent landmarks, Roxy Ann Peak is a 30 million year old dormant volcano located on the east side of the city. At 3573 feet (1,089.1 m), the mountain rises almost 2000 feet (609.6 m) above the valley floor. It was named for Roxy Ann Bowen, an early settler who lived in its foothills.
A significant area of Roxy Ann Peak (including the summit) is enclosed in Medford's largest park, a 1740 acre protected area called Prescott Park. The land was set aside in the 1930s and named in honor of George J. Prescott, a police officer killed in the line of duty in 1933.
The most commonly used trail on Roxy Ann Peak, part of Prescott Park, climbs about 950 feet (289.6 m) from the beginning of the footpath at the second gate to a height of about 3547 feet (1,081.1 m). The trail is about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) one-way, and provides a panoramic view of the Rogue Valley.
Vogel Plaza
- Location: 42.3264°N 122.8719°W
Finished in 1997 at the intersection of E. Main St and Central Ave in downtown Medford, Vogel Plaza has quickly become a center of activity for many local events. One such event is the annual Art in Bloom festival, which is held around Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
each year. During the two-day festival, over 10,000 people attend and more than 75 artists showcase their work while surrounded by live entertainment, workshops, food, and children's activities.
Education
Medford is served by Medford School District 549c and has two main high schools: South Medford High SchoolSouth Medford High School
South Medford High School is a public high school in Medford, Oregon, United States.-History:The South Medford campus was originally built in 1931 as Medford High School. Then in the 1960s, the school was divided between two campuses...
and North Medford High School
North Medford High School
North Medford High School is a public high school in Medford, Oregon, United States. It is part of Medford School District, and its mascot is the Black Tornado. It is the only school in America with the Black Tornado as a mascot.- History :...
. In addition to the two public high schools, Medford has several private high schools. Two of the largest are St. Mary's School and Cascade Christian High School
Cascade 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 :...
. In addition, there are 14 public elementary schools and two public middle schools
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, (Hedrick and McLoughlin). Medford 549C has over 12,500 students enrolled.
Crossroads School is a private, alternative high school operating in Medford along with three others operated or affiliated with a church; Cascade Christian High School
Cascade 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 :...
, St. Mary's High School, and Rogue Valley Adventist School
Rogue Valley Adventist School
Rogue Valley Adventist School is a private Adventist high school in Medford, Oregon, United States.-Academics:The school has been accredited through the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools since 1996....
. Grace Christian and Sacred Heart School are private elementary and middle schools in Medford.
In 1997, Grants Pass
Grants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
-based Rogue Community College
Rogue Community College
Rogue Community College is a 2-year, community college with campuses in both Jackson County and Josephine County, falling roughly in the geographic region known as the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon.-Accreditation:...
(RCC) completed construction on a seven-building campus spanning five blocks in downtown Medford. Nearby Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
-based Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University
is a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College and Southern Oregon State College . SOU offers criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs...
collaborated with Rogue in 2007 on the construction of an eighth building which will offer third- and fourth-year courses to students. Pacific Bible College, formerly named Dove Bible Institute, was founded in Medford in 1989.
Crime and law enforcement
| Violent Crime | Property Crime | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Rape | Robbery | Assault | Total | Burglary | Theft | Car Theft | Total | |
| 2007 | 0 | 30 | 44 | 191 | 265 | 412 | 2,662 | 196 | 3,270 |
| 2006 | 1 | 22 | 36 | 193 | 252 | 456 | 2,748 | 177 | 3,381 |
| 2005 | 1 | 28 | 53 | 243 | 325 | 556 | 3,455 | 279 | 4,290 |
| 2004 | 0 | 21 | 38 | 229 | 288 | 551 | 3,272 | 257 | 4,080 |
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
publication "Crime in the United States" provides unranked statistical data from law enforcement agencies across the United States. The table to the right are statistics reported for the city of Medford for the years 2004 through 2007.
As with any city that experiences rapid growth, Medford has seen a recent surge in gang activity and organized crime in the past decade.
Methamphetamine use is a problem in Medford and southern Oregon and is believed to play a role in numerous property crimes, including identity theft.
Police department
The Medford Police Department has 103 sworn police officers supported by a staff of 77 civilian employees.Notable people
- William AbercrombieWilliam AbercrombieEnsign William Warner Abercrombie, USN was a United States Navy officer and Naval Aviator during World War II, who received the Navy Cross posthumously for his actions at the Battle of Midway.-Biography:...
, U.S. Naval officer - Brad ArnsbergBrad ArnsbergBradley James Arnsberg is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and was the Houston Astros pitching coach.-Playing career:...
, baseball player and coach - Justin BaldoniJustin BaldoniJustin Louis Baldoni is an American actor. Baldoni has acted in films such as Wedding Daze and in the television series Everwood and Heroes.-Background:...
, actor - Jeff Barry, baseball player
- Steve BechlerSteve BechlerSteven Scott Bechler was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles in 2002.Steve Bechler died of heatstroke at the beginning of spring training with the Orioles in 2003. An autopsy performed by Dr...
, baseball player - Kent BeckKent BeckKent Beck is an American software engineer and the creator of the Extreme Programming and Test Driven Development software development methodologies. Beck was one of the 17 original signatories of the Agile Manifesto in 2001....
, software engineer - Bill BowermanBill BowermanWilliam Jay "Bill" Bowerman was an American track and field coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc. Over his career, he trained 31 Olympic athletes, 51 All-Americans, 12 American record-holders, 24 NCAA champions and 16 sub-4 minute milers...
, track coach and NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
co-founder - Devin ColeDevin ColeDevin Cole is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to Strikeforce. He is a veteran of the Portland Wolfpack in the International Fight League.-Biography:...
, mixed martial artist - Edwin Russell DurnoEdwin Russell DurnoEdwin Russell Durno was a physician, politician, an infantry sergeant who was awarded a Purple Heart, and a basketball player recognized in the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame....
, Oregon state senator and representative - Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill, murder victims
- Robert G. EmmensRobert G. EmmensRobert G. Emmens was a Doolittle Raider and a career United States Air Force officer.Emmens graduated from Medford High School, Medford, Oregon in 1931. He then attended University of Oregon, 1931 - 1934. Emmens entered the United States Army Air Corps on February 23, 1937 at Vancouver...
, Doolittle raider - Dick FosburyDick FosburyRichard Douglas "Dick" Fosbury is one of the most influential athletes in the history of track and field. He completely revolutionized the high jump event, inventing a unique "back-first" technique, now known as the Fosbury Flop, adopted by almost all high jumpers today. His method was to sprint...
, high jumper and inventor of the Fosbury FlopFosbury FlopThe Fosbury Flop is a style used in the athletics event of high jump. It was popularized and perfected by American athlete Dick Fosbury, whose gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics brought it to the world's attention... - Les GutchesLes GutchesLes Gutches is an American former amateur wrestler and coach. His accomplishments include winning the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's best college wrestler in 1996, becoming the National Collegiate Athletic Association champion in the 177 lb...
, Greco-Roman wrestlerGreco-Roman wrestlingGreco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can... - Page HamiltonPage HamiltonPage Hamilton is a guitarist, singer and record producer, mostly noted for his work with alternative metal band Helmet...
, musician and record producer - Marshall HolmanMarshall HolmanMarshall Holman is an American professional bowler primarily known for his success on the PBA Tour throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He also served as a color analyst alongside Mike Durbin on several ESPN and ESPN2 bowling telecasts from 1996–2001...
, professional bowler and PBA Hall of Famer - Jon LindstromJon LindstromJon Lindstrom is an American actor, writer, director, producer, and musician. He is well-known for his longtime role of Kevin Collins on the soap opera General Hospital from 1993–1997, 2003–2004 and then moved the character to Port Charles from 1997-2003.-Early life:Lindstrom was born and raised in...
, actor - Dave Luetkenhoelter, rock musician
- Allison MachadoAllison MachadoAllison Nicole Machado is a beauty queen from Medford, Oregon who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.Machado won the Miss Oregon USA 2006 title in a state pageant held in late 2005. It was her first attempt at the title. She has American Indian heritage as a descendant of Oklahoma's Kiowa tribe...
, Miss Oregon 2006 - Jennifer MurphyJennifer MurphyJennifer Murphy is an actress,beauty queen, reality television contestant and business woman.Murphy grew up in Medford, southern Oregon, with her eleven siblings...
, actress, former Miss Oregon and Apprentice 4 contestant - Bob NewlandBob NewlandRobert Vaughn Newland is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon.-References:...
, NFL wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints - Richard NibleyRichard NibleyFred Richard Nibley was an American violinist, composer, and educator. He is often cited as an expert on the influence of music on behavior.Richard spent many years as a professor at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah...
, violinist, composer and music educator - Teo OlivaresTeo OlivaresMatthew "Teo" Olivares is an American actor who is known for his role as one of Billy Loomer's backups, Crony, on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide...
, actor - Patricia PinePatricia PinePatricia Regan Pine , a.k.a. Tricia Pine is a former beauty queen from Medford, Oregon who works as a weather anchor and opera singer.Leines won the Miss Oregon 1996 title as Miss Tri-Valley...
, former Miss Oregon and television reporter - Kellin Quinn, vocalist of Sleeping With SirensSleeping with SirensSleeping with Sirens is an American post-hardcore band from Orlando, Florida currently residing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Formed in 2009 by members of For All We Know, Broadway and We Are Defiance...
- Jason James RichterJason James RichterJason James Richter is an American actor.At the age of three, he and his family moved to Hawaii, where a Japanese casting agency discovered him and signed him up for three TV spots...
, actor - Lisa RinnaLisa RinnaLisa Deanna Rinna is an American television host and actress. She is known for her roles as Billie Reed on Days of our Lives, Taylor McBride on Melrose Place, and most recently as the host of SoapNet's Soap Talk.-Acting:...
, actress - Ginger RogersGinger RogersGinger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
, actress - Charles RoyerCharles RoyerCharles Royer was the 48th mayor of Seattle, Washington from 1978 to 1990. After serving as mayor of Seattle, Royer became the director of the Harvard Institute of Politics.-Career as a reporter:...
, former mayor of Seattle, and director of the Harvard Institute of PoliticsHarvard Institute of PoliticsHarvard Institute of Politics was created to serve as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy and inspire Harvard students into careers in politics and public service, much as President Kennedy was inspired during his days as a student at Harvard. The IOP also brings together the academic... - Mark RydenMark Ryden-Early life:Ryden is the son of Barbara and Keith Ryden, born in Medford, Oregon but raised in Southern California. He has two sisters and two brothers, one a fellow artist named Keyth Ryden....
, painter - Kyle SinglerKyle SinglerKyle Edward Singler is a professional basketball player for the Real Madrid in Spain. He was a four-year starter for the Duke men's basketball team and was instrumental in their 2010 NCAA Championship run, earning MVP of the Final Four.-High school:Singler attended South Medford High School and...
, former player for the Duke Blue Devils NCAA champion college basketball team and 2011 second round draft pick of the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... - Dick SkeenDick SkeenDick Skeen was a U.S. professional tennis player. He was runner up to Fred Perry in the Men's Singles in the 1941 Professional Tennis Championships, and was ranked No. 2, behind Perry....
, former professional tennis player and teacher - Vic SnyderVic SnyderVictor F. "Vic" Snyder is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, former United States Representative from Arkansas - Jonathan StarkJonathan StarkJonathan Stark is a former professional tennis player from the United States. During his career he won two Grand Slam doubles titles . Stark reached the World No. 1 doubles ranking in 1994.-Early life:Stark was born in Southern Oregon in the city of Medford on April 3, 1971...
, former professional tennis player - Kenny TaylorKenny Taylor (director)Kenny Taylor is an American filmmaker.Born and raised in Southern Oregon, Kenny Taylor moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, where he began working as an actor, stand-up comic, and screenwriter....
, film director - Scott ThurstonScott ThurstonScott Troy Thurston is an American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and session musician. He is currently a member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, in which he sings harmony vocals and plays guitar, keyboards, and harmonica....
, member of Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch... - Kevin TowersKevin TowersKevin S. Towers is currently the general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also served as the general manager of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres from 1995-2009.-Playing career:...
, general manager of the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field... - Mike WhiteheadMike WhiteheadMichael Joe Whitehead is a professional mixed martial arts fighter. He has fought in the light heavyweight and heavyweight weight classes for the UFC, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce.-Mixed martial arts career:...
, mixed martial artist - Sandin WilsonSandin WilsonSandin Wilson is a veteran bassist and vocalist from the Pacific Northwest. As a youth, Sandin played football, baseball, and was involved in music early on, convinced by his Mom, "it will be good for you"....
, bass violinist and vocalist
Television
- KOBIKOBIKOBI is a local NBC affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. It is owned by Patricia Smullin. The company, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc., is the longest continuously independent broadcast group in the West and one of the three oldest in the country....
05 (NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
) - KSYS 08 (PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
) - KTVLKTVLKTVL, channel 10 is a CBS television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon and broadcasts from a transmitter high atop Mount Ashland, 15 miles south of the city. The station covers eight counties in southern Oregon and northern California. The studios are located on Rossanley Drive in northwest...
10 (CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
) - KDRVKDRVKDRV, channel 12, is an ABC television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station is located near Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in north Medford. The station is owned by Chambers Communications Corporation of Eugene, Oregon....
12 (ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
) - KMCW 14 (TelemundoTelemundoTelemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
) - KMVUKMVUKMVU-DT is a local Fox television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station serves the Rogue Valley and Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and the Shasta Cascade region in northern California, and is owned by Stainless Broadcasting Company...
26 (FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
) - KFBI 48 (MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
)
Radio
|
Newspaper
The official newspaper of Medford and Jackson County is the Mail Tribune, which is owned by Ottaway Community NewspapersOttaway Community Newspapers
Dow Jones Local Media Group, Inc., formerly Ottaway Community Newspapers, is a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company, which is itself a subsidiary of News Corporation and owns newspapers, Web sites and niche publications in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon and...
. It began circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
in 1909 after a merger between the Medford-based Mail and the Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
-based Tribune. As of 2004, an average of 37,000 copies of the Mail Tribune are in circulation each day.
Professional sports
In addition to having several athletes who were famous natives or residents of the city, Medford played host to several professional sports teams since 1948. It was the home city for several professional baseball teams, most notably the Medford A's, later known as the Southern Oregon TimberjacksSouthern Oregon Timberjacks
The Southern Oregon Timberjacks were a minor league baseball team based in Medford, Oregon. The team played in the short-season single-A Northwest League from 1979 to 1999 and were an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics...
, of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
. They were a short-season single-A minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
affiliate of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
who played at historic Miles Field
Miles Field
Miles Field was a professional baseball stadium based in Medford, Oregon that played host to high school baseball, American Legion baseball and professional minor league baseball from 1948 to 2004...
from 1979 to 1999 before relocating to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia. There is currently talk about bringing an expansion franchise to Medford, but there is no suitable stadium to host such a team at the moment.
Medford also hosted a professional indoor football team from the National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...
known as the Southern Oregon Heat
Southern Oregon Heat
The Southern Oregon Heat were a professional indoor football team that played in the National Indoor Football League in 2001. They played their home games at Compton Arena in Medford, Oregon. After the season, the team was to move to Eugene, Oregon and play as the Eugene Mercury, but the team...
in 2001. It played in the Compton Arena at the Jackson County Expo Park.
Medford's Lava Lanes bowling alley previously hosted the PBA
Professional Bowlers Association
The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
's Medford Open every January, which aired on ESPN, the last Open took place in 2009.
Transportation
The city of Medford is responsible for over 322 kilometres (200.1 mi) of roads within its boundaries.Major highways
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Interstate 5 runs directly through the center of the city. The section of freeway includes a 3,229 foot (984 m) viaductViaductA viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
that elevates traffic above Bear Creek and the city's downtown. There are two freeway exits in Medford, one at each side of the city.
Highway 99 runs through the city's center.
Highway 62 runs through the northern portion of the town.
Highway 238 runs through the northwestern portion of Medford.
Air
Medford is home to Oregon's 3rd busiest airport, the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (airport code MFR). 647,471 people used this regional airport in 2007, which has served over 11 million passengers between 1978 and 2008. Medford airport has two asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
runways which handle about sixty daily flight
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
s from five airlines.
With expansion of the airport terminal underway, the facilities are quickly being upgraded.
Bus
The greater Medford metro area has been served by Rogue Valley Transportation DistrictRogue Valley Transportation District
Rogue Valley Transportation District is a transportation district serving the greater Jackson County area. The district serves the cities of Medford, Ashland, White City, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville, and Central Point...
(RVTD) since 1975. The bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
system operates eight routes from Monday to Friday, four of which travel to nearby cities Central Point
Central Point, Oregon
Central Point is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 17,165 as of July 1, 2009 The city shares its southern border with Medford and is a part of the Medford metropolitan area...
, Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
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....
, Phoenix
Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenix is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,060 at the 2000 census and has grown to 4,855 people as of July 1, 2009.-History:...
, Talent
Talent, Oregon
Talent is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2000 census and 6,680 as of July 1, 2009.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
, and White City
White City, Oregon
White City is an unincorporated community in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined White City as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with...
. All routes connect at the Front Street Transfer Station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
, which since October 2008 has contained Medford's Greyhound Bus depot.
Rail
There are no passenger trains that route through Medford. AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
trains serve nearby Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
. People in Medford can board the Southwest P.O.I.N.T. (an intercity bus route) at the RVTD
Rogue Valley Transportation District
Rogue Valley Transportation District is a transportation district serving the greater Jackson County area. The district serves the cities of Medford, Ashland, White City, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville, and Central Point...
Front Street Transfer Station that will deliver them to the train station in about two and a half hours.
Maritime
The nearest maritime port is the Port of Coos BayPort of Coos Bay
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is a port of the Pacific coast of the United States, located in Coos Bay near the city of Coos Bay, Oregon...
, which is 167 miles (268.8 km) away.
The nearby Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
is monitored for flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing at the Gold Ray Dam, a decommissioned hydroelectric dam built in 1906 near Gold Hill
Gold Hill, Oregon
Gold Hill is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. As of July 1, 2009, the population was 1,080 people.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
. The National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
identifies 3.6 meters (12 ft) as the flood level. At this depth, navigability
Navigability
A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and slow enough for a vessel to pass. Preferably there are few obstructions such as rocks or trees to avoid. Bridges must have sufficient clearance. High water speed may make a channel unnavigable. Waters may be...
between the Pacific Ocean and the Rogue Valley is limited. Even a small "handysize
Handysize
Although there is no official definition in terms of exact tonnages, Handysize most usually refers to a dry bulk vessel with deadweight of about 15,000–35,000 tons...
" freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
is unable to make the trip, and any ship hauling cargo to Medford would have to have a much smaller draw. Therefore, Medford does not have a nearby maritime port.
Medford in popular culture
Medford is the hometown of the fictional character Mr. Jackson, played by Porter HallPorter Hall
Porter Hall was an American character actor known for appearing in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s...
, in the classic noir film Double Indemnity. When pressed to recall the events that led to the supposed death of Dietrichson, Mr. Jackson proclaims, "Mr. Keyes, I'm a Medford man – Medford, Oregon. Up in Medford, we take our time making up our minds."
Sister city
Shortly after the sister city program was established in 1960, Medford was paired up with Alba, ItalyAlba, Italy
Alba is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of the hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production...
. The cities are 9175 kilometres (5,701.1 mi) apart and were paired based on 1960 similarities in population, geography, and climate.
Each year, both Alba and Medford take turns exchanging students. During March and April of one year, students from Medford's high schools will visit Alba and stay with host families. Likewise, Alba students will visit Medford every other year. 67 Medford students applied for the 2007 trip to Italy, but only 24 were selected.
It was former mayor of Medford John W. Snider who selected Alba during his 1957–1962 term, making a satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...
call to Alba's former mayor Osvaldo Cagnasso.