Southern Oregon Historical Society

05/27/2026

Windows in Time: The History and Evolution of the Mt. Ashland Ski Area

MEDFORD: 06/03/2026, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
ASHLAND: 06/10/2026, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

The Mt. Ashland Ski Area, which encompasses over 240 acres of national forestland, is situated on and near the summit of Oregon’s highest peak west of the Cascade Range. Started largely by local ski enthusiasts, the ski area has been an important community and regional asset since the early 1960s. With five lifts, forty-four ski runs, and a ski lodge, the area operates under a U.S. Forest Service special-use permit and draws skiers and boarders primarily from southwestern Oregon and northern California. The area is managed as a non-profit by the all-volunteer Mt. Ashland Association Board of Directors. Mt. Ashland Association recently initiated year-round activities, including weddings, summer day camps for kids, concerts, disc golf, and business meetings. Join us to learn more about the history of this beloved destination of our region.

Presenter Blair Moody retired after 38 years of practicing forestry in both private industry and government land management agencies in Northern Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Southern Oregon. Blair has served on the Board of Directors for Mt. Ashland for 26 years, is a past President, and currently is the Chair of the Development Committee.

The monthly Windows in Time lunchtime lectures feature well-known writers and historians and bring alive the people, values, and events that shaped our Southern Oregon heritage. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) and Jackson County Library Services. Programs are presented in Medford (first Wednesdays) and again in Ashland (second Wednesdays). Recordings of Medford presentations are available on the JCLS Beyond YouTube channel.

05/15/2026

The Oregon Historical Society is offering a special deal for new Southern Oregon Historical Society members! For one week only, if you become an SOHS member, you'll receive a FREE OHS membership. Valued at $100.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to explore more of Oregon's past!

Join SOHS by May 22 at SOHS.org

04/27/2026

An Evening with Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Rick Atkinson

The Southern Oregon Historical Society, in partnership with the Oregon Historical Society’s Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series and the official America 250 Oregon statewide commemoration, is proud to host a special evening with acclaimed historian Rick Atkinson.

Recently featured on NBC5 News with anchor Emily Storm, Atkinson discusses how his background in war journalism drew him to the American Revolution and its profound impact on our national identity.

Join us on May 14 as he shares insights from his trilogy focusing on the pivotal years of the Revolutionary War from 1777 to 1780.

WHEN: Thursday, May 14, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
WHERE: Rogue Valley Country Club
TICKETS: Visit sohs.org/events for tickets and additional information.

In this Five on 5 interview, News Anchor Emily Storm interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson. Atkinson, who has a background in war journalism, discusses how that experience drew him to the Revolution and its profound impact on American identity. He shares details on his trilogy focus...

04/16/2026

In recognition of America's 250 Semiquincentennial, the Southern Oregon Historical Society is inviting the public to share photos they have taken that reflect America the Beautiful. Our goal is to collect 250 photos. We will display them in the windows at our main site at 106 N Central in downtown Medford, post them on our website, share them on our social media sites, and archive
them into our collection.

PHOTO RULES:
—First come, first served basis.
—Ideally, 4"x 6" photos. If different size, we may have to crop the photo.
—Email photos to [email protected], or deliver by hand or mail to SOHS at 106 N Central, Medford 97501.
—One photo per family taken by a family member.
—The person submitting should be a resident of Southern Oregon.
—Photos cannot be returned.
—Photos will be displayed on the SOHS website, social media, and in our front window at 106 N
Central. The photos and descriptions will be archived within the SOHS collection.
—Photos cannot show weapons, violence, nudity, political promotion, or be discriminatory in any way.
—SOHS reserves the right to not display photos that do not fit these criteria. We will, however, maintain them in our collection.
—Participants are solely responsible for ensuring that their submitted photos comply with all applicable copyright laws.

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
—Name of person submitting photo:
—Name of family (optional):
—Location of the photo (if known):
—Date of the photo (if known):
—Who took the photo (if known):
—Explanation of photo:

LINK TO PRINTABLE FLYER & FORM:https://sohs.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/America-the-Beautiful-Flyer.pdf

04/07/2026

For more information and to apply, visit https://sohs.org/about-us/employment-opportunities

03/24/2026

Take a trek on the Oregon Trail with SOHS historian Charlie Zimmermann!

Students will join family groups, practice budgeting and managing supplies, learn about life on the Trail, and experience the natural geography of the Trail through the eyes of pioneer artist William Henry Jackson.

We set off at 1 pm on Wednesday, April 15th in the meeting room of the Talent Library. (This event is not sponsored or endorsed by the Library.)

This event is open to homeschool and online school families only. All ages welcome.

Advance registration is strongly requested to help us best plan for the event. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetCNQSvclDDALaRg4E7Igu6k1TksFajlzZBCAIJ5EHq25R9A/viewform

03/12/2026

Local historian Sue Waldron was introduced to early twentieth-century Jacksonville artist Regina Dorland Robinson’s work in 1986 when she began working in the Exhibits Department of the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS). She was the researcher for the 2007 SOHS-published book A Lasting Impression: The Art and Life of Regina Dorland Robinson, which featured many Dorland paintings. She spent several years collecting more details about the tragic young artist’s life. Join us to learn new information Sue Waldron found about Dorland and her associates and to see images of formerly unknown paintings.

Sue Waldron is a native of Medford and a graduate of Southern Oregon University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in history. She was the researcher and writer for the Exhibits Department at the Southern Oregon Historical Society and a frequent contributor to their publication, The Table Rock Sentinel. She was the researcher for A Lasting Impression: Life and Art of Regina Dorland Robinson (2007) and the author of “County Folk: Stories of Early Jackson County Residents,” (2021).

The monthly Windows in Time lunchtime lectures feature well-known writers and historians and bring alive the people, values, and events that shaped our southern Oregon heritage. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) and Jackson County Library Services. Programs are presented in Medford (first Wednesdays, in-person) and again in Ashland (second Wednesdays, in-person). Recordings of Medford presentations are available on the JCLS Beyond YouTube channel.

April 1st, 12pm-1pm: Large Meeting Room, Medford Library, In-Person
April 8th, 12pm-1pm: Gresham Room, Ashland Library, In-Person
Registration: https://jcls.org/local/windows-in-time/
Questions? Please contact the Southern Oregon Historical Society at 541-622-2025, or Jackson County Library Services at 541-774-8679

01/30/2026

Windows in Time Lecture Series: Did the Oregon Trail Computer Game Get It Right?

The Oregon Trail computer game, first released in 1971, became almost ubiquitous in American schools by the 1980s. In this lecture, we'll go on the Trail to see how the game stacks up to the reality of the hundreds of thousands who emigrated west. What it gets right: A lot of people did die of dysentery. What it doesn't: You cannot get there faster by mashing the spacebar. This lecture will be held at the Medford Library in-person on Wednesday, February 4, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM. If you’re not able to attend the lecture in Medford, another in-person lecture will be held the following Wednesday, February 11, at the Ashland Library from 12:00 – 1:00 PM.

Charlie Zimmermann is a lifelong Oregon Trail aficionado. At age eight, they dressed as a pioneer for Halloween, and as a young adult they earned the "Young OCTAn" award from the Oregon and California Trails Association. They graduated from Southern Oregon University in 2024 with a dual degree in history and political science with a minor in Native American Studies. They enjoy spending time with their cat Dassy, making rag rugs and other textile-based crafts, and teaching others about history.

The monthly Windows in Time lunchtime lectures feature well-known writers and historians and bring alive the people, values, and events that shaped our southern Oregon heritage. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) and Jackson County Library Services. Programs are presented in Medford (first Wednesdays, in-person and online) and again in Ashland (second Wednesdays, in-person). Recordings of Medford presentations are available on the JCLS Beyond YouTube channel.

February 4th, 12pm-1pm: Large Meeting Room, Medford Library, In-Person & Online
February 11th, 12pm-1pm: Gresham Room, Ashland Library, In-Person
Registration: https://jcls.org/local/windows-in-time/
Questions? Please contact the Southern Oregon Historical Society at 541-622-2025, or Jackson County Library Services at 541-774-8679

01/22/2026

01/12/2026

Plant ‘Dig and Pot’ volunteers needed!

Though the Hanley Heritage Plant Sale is more than three months away, now is the time to get most of our plants at Hanley dug and potted. So, Saturday January 24, from 10-1 will be a big dig and pot day. Some plants have already been done like the hellebores, lilacs, and peonies, but we still have many other plants like iris, snow bells, myrtle trees, Oregon Grape, etc. There will be hot drinks and snacks and lots of thanks.

Please let Alice know if you can help out: [email protected]

Then get your warm clothes, gloves and shovels out and ready to go. Looking forward to seeing you on the 24th.