Medford, Oregon (May 19, 2021)—Peter Finkle will present the Windows in Time lecture “Ten Quirky Things to Know About Historic Ashland” on Wednesday, June 2 from 12 Noon–1:00 p.m. via the Zoom video conferencing app. All are welcome to attend this free lecture; registration is required.
From “you won’t believe what kids sold at the railroad depot” to “a fifth-generation local family business,” you are sure to learn something new that will make you smile. Peter Finkle will recount little-known tales, most from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Ashland began in the 1850s as a mill and agricultural town. The town boomed when the railroad came to Ashland in the 1880s, connecting the region with Portland, San Francisco, and markets far beyond. Six of the ten quirky stories reflect the railroad’s influence on Ashland.
More stories include Ashland’s nationally famous faith healer, who in the 1940s and 1950s attracted more business to Ashland’s motels and restaurants than did the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Learn about Ashland’s very small Chinatown, and hear Finkle’s quirky story from a 1916 Ashland Tidings article detailing how Ashland’s Chinese New Year in 1916 was sadly (for some residents) different than any local Chinese New Year before. Nine of the stories are accompanied by historical photos. The story without a photo is such a fun childhood memory that your imagination will provide the picture to go with it.
A resident of Ashland since 1991, Peter Finkle is the founder of WalkAshland.com. His blog and website are filled with stories and photos of Ashland history, people, public art, gardens, architecture and—of course — neighborhood walks. He received an Individual Award from the City of Ashland Historic Commission in 2019 for his writing contributions to the Marking Ashland Places project. When COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, Finkle will lead Ashland History Walks for residents and visitors.
In his life before starting WalkAshland, Peter Finkle worked for 36 years doing quality assurance, product development, education, and more for a leading dietary supplement company. He enjoyed speaking about nutrition and health to live audiences in four countries.
Program registration can be found at https://jcls.libcal.com/calendar/jcls_event/WIT-June-2021. A recording of the program will later be made available on the Jackson County Library Services YouTube channel; subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/c/JCLSBeyond.
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. For more information, please contact the Southern Oregon Historical Society at (541) 773-6536 or sohs.org or Jackson County Library Services at 541-774-8679 or jcls.org.