Ashland, Oregon

Ashland is located in the southwest corner of Oregon, just 20 miles north of the California border. The town is not too far from the Oregon coastline, but just far enough away to avoid the rainy, dreary climate. This town has a strong theatrical and musical foundation. Ashland is most proud of its Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a reflection of the quality of this upscale community. This festival runs from February to October, and claims to sell more tickets to more performances of more plays than any other theater in the country. The town is also home to the Ashland Independent Film Festival, the Ashland New Plays Festival, the Oregon Cabaret Theatre, and the Camelot Theatre Company. The Ashland City Band bills itself as the oldest continuous city band in the United States, having formed as the Ashland Brass Band in 1876. Southern Oregon University, a liberal art college with an enrollment of 5,500, is located in Ashland. The town was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other founders had family connections. EARNS OUR HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.