History of Jacksonville, Oregon
Gold was discovered at rich gulch in 1851. Miners came to the area in droves. Within months thousands were combing the hills hoping to stake a claim. A thriving mining camp developed along the gold laden Creek that became the town of Jacksonville. The town was named for Jackson Creek, along which the town developed. It is not known for sure who the Creek was named for, but it was probably was of the first people to discover the gold. It could also be that it was simply named after the county. Peter Britt, Oregon's first photographer, came here in 1852. He tried his luck at gold mining and operating a pack train but soon returned to his first love of photography. He took many pictures of early Jacksonville people, architecture, events, and natural settings. The gold rush brought prosperity very quickly so by the end of 1852, saloons and gambling halls popped up everywhere to relieve the Miners of their money. Shops, supply stores, a bank, and other businesses were appearing on the scene. The bank was built in 1863. On February 18, 1854, a post office was established with R. Dugan as first Postmaster. Sylvester H. Taylor took over on December 19, 1854.
During those boom years, Jacksonville became the hub of Commerce in southern Oregon and the county seat. In 1884 when the railroad bypassed Jacksonville and chose Medford as the primary link between north and South, many residents and businesses moved away. A few wealthy merchants built huge mansions and the new county Court house was finished in 1884. By the 18 90s agriculture had replaced mining as the main source of income. For the next fifty years the town was relatively unchanged as surrounding communities continued to grow. The county seat was moved to Medford in 1927. In 1930, the town started celebrating Pioneer Days, originally called the Gold Rush Jubilee, celebrating the gold rush days. The depression years and world War II had a serious impact. But by them the town had started to recognize the importance to of its heritage and began preserving photos, writing, and artifacts to documents its history. Robertson Collins, a long time resident, was instrumental in this effort.
In 1966, the entire town is designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the interior. This include more than 80 individual buildings that are on the National register of historic places. The building that houses the Jacksonville Inn dates to 1863.