Jacksonville's History Preserved

After passing the Masonic Hall on our walk down California Street in Jacksonville, OR (designated a National Historic Landmark), we turned left onto South Oregon Street.

Masonic Hall, (white building), 1875; Table Rock Billiard Saloon, (center), 1859; J. W. McCully Building (right), 1855

The original name for Jacksonville was "Table Rock City" and Billiard Saloon is one of the few references you can find to that title. Built in 1860, it contained one of the new town's most successful bakeries as well as saloons. Along with the saloon, a cobbler shop shared the building. Today the building is home to the Good Bean Coffee Company.

The J.W. McCully Building, constructed circa 1855-56, is the only building remaining in Jacksonville with the fireproofing feature of heavy iron shutters that are closed over all of the buildings windows and doors. Originally the first floor housed a general store while the upper story was a Jewish Synagogue. By 1860, the International Order of Odd Fellows began using the second floor, a tradition that would continue for more than 100 years. Painted above the second story window bays is the inscription "I.O.O.F. No. 10 Inst'd 1860."

Across the street was the Orth Building.

Orth Building, 1872

John Orth, a butcher, had the building constructed; he leased space to a number of businesses, including a general store on the lower level and the Farmer's Hotel and a law firm on the upper floor. Orth's butcher shop occupied some of the space on the ground floor into the 1890s.

We returned to California Street and studied the businesses on the north side of the street (yesterday's entry covered the south side).

Not shown in the photo above were the two buildings (below) on the corner.

Fisher Bros. Gen. Mdse., (left), 1856 and Bella Union Saloon, 1856

The property was deeded to the Fisher Brothers in 1862 when the previous owner was unable to pay his debts. The existing structure was rebuilt by the Fisher Brothers in 1874 and survived a pair of fires as it continued to be used as a general store unto the 1890s. Around 1900 the building became the Marble Arch Saloon. For the last several decades, it has housed Scheffel's Toy Store.

The original Bella Union started out as one of seven saloons in Jacksonville. It endured a shooting and a fire to serve as a saloon, machine shop, saddle shop, deli, and back again to a restaurant and saloon. In June 1988, the Bella Union reopened.

Kennedy's Tin Shop, 1861

From a tin shop under two different owners to the Pioneer Hardware to the Jacksonville Bakery, this building has served the community. Today, it houses a gift shop and whole foods eatery.

Beekman Bank, (far right), 1862

The Beekman Bank building is one of the few remaining false front wooden commercial buildings in downtown Jacksonville. C.C. Beekman operated a bank and express messenger service at this site, making express shipments of gold to Crescent City, CA.

The bank building is now owned by the Jackson County and managed by the Southern Oregon Historical Society, which maintains a historical, gold-rush themed display (photo above) behind glass windows.

United States Hotel, 1880

Built by George Holt to fulfill a courtship promise to his fiancee Madame Jeanne De Reboam. The Hotel's first guests were President Rutherford B. Hayes and party.

H. Judge Harness Shop Building (left), 1858 and Ryan and Morgan General Store (red awning), 1863.

This entire block was destroyed during a fire in April 1874. Henry Judge and his partner sold saddlery here, until the 1880s when the shop switched to general merchandise. Today the building houses a gift shop.

P.J. Ryan's Brick Storehouse, also known as "Ryan & Morgan General Store," and for many decades "Jacksonville Inn," was built in 1861. Initially this was a one-story building, but a fire in 1873 burned out the interior. Reconstruction in 1874 resulted in a second story. A third story penthouse was added around 1876, making it the tallest commercial building to ever have existed in Jacksonville, although the third story was removed shortly after 1900. By the 1890s, the building began to include hotel rooms.

Before we left, we caught a glimpse of some advertisements, indicating the age of the buildings.

The showers were frequent, but they could not dampen our fascination with the town of Jacksonville, OR, and its history.