Jackson County History

The natural and cultural history of Jackson County is diverse and fascinating. The landscapes we see today were formed over millions of years by glacial ice migrations, massive floods and red-hot lava flows, and are deeply tied to the cultural history.

Native peoples, including the Modoc, Shasta and Rogue River tribes, lived in the region now defined by Jackson County. They were primarily hunter-gatherers. The men were experts in the use of bow and arrow as well as a fork tipped harpoon for fishing. Women harvested berries, fruit, nuts and roots. Acorns were used to produce flour used in bread, puddings and soup.

The discovery of gold in the Rogue and Illinois River valleys lead to an influx of nonnative settlers who flooded into the region. Soon a wagon road was completed which connected the remote region to California and Douglas County. In the 1850’s, tensions over land lead to a period of conflict and war resulting in hundreds of casualties and the removal of the Rogue River tribe to the Siletz Reservation. During the next two years, several small bands of Indians were moved to the Grande Ronde Reservation west of Salem.

Chinese immigration was considerable from 1850 to the 1870’s. The Chinese worked in some of the most labor intensive industries. They were scapegoated and faced virulent discrimination.

The agricultural history of Jackson County details a story that grew into the $60 million industry today. The first commercial orchards were planted in 1885. They rapidly expanded and included pears, apples, cherries, peaches and prunes. In recent years, the number of acres in commercial orchards has declined from about 12,000 acres in the 1940’s to fewer than 7,500 acres today, however, the region has long set the standard of quality for Bosc and Comice pears.

The Territorial Legislature created Jackson County—named after President Andrew Jackson—on January 12, 1852, from the southwestern portion of Lane County and the unorganized area south of Douglas and Umpqua Counties. In 1853, Jacksonville became the first county seat. In the 1880’s, the construction of the Oregon and California Railroad bypassed the city. Medford, located five miles east of Jacksonville, benefited with commerce and development following the rail line. In 1927, Medford became the county seat.

The voters of Jackson County approved a home rule charter at the general election, November 7, 1978. The primary change was a governing body consisting of a board of three commissioners, which continues to constitute the legislative and principal policy making agency of the county.

Since its incorporation into the United States, the region has exhibited an independent nature, trying several times to break ties with Oregon and California and even the United States. The area is geographically, topographically and emotionally a domain unto itself and therefore has seen eruptions toward separation in The State of Shasta (1852), The State of Klamath (1853), The Pacific Republic (early 1860’s) and The State of Siskiyou (1909). To this day, the area is frequently called the State of Jefferson by residents, a reference to the last effort toward carving out a separate State in 1941, only to be thwarted by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II. Hanley Farm (Photo courtesy of Southern Oregon Historical Society # 9473.) See the Resource Directory on the inside front cover for Southern Oregon Historical Society contact information. Jackson County History The natural and cultural history of Jackson County is diverse and fascinating. The landscapes we see today were formed over millions of years by glacial ice migrations, massive floods and red-hot lava flows, and are deeply tied to the cultural history.