Medford, Oregon (November 27, 2023) – Clarence Meeker came to Southern Oregon in the 1890s at the age of 12. He graduated from Medford’s first high school and became a prominent downtown merchant. A natural leader and civic booster, he also served two-terms as a City Councilman and as Medford’s wartime mayor. Like many of his contemporaries, Meeker was fascinated by stories of the early settlers. In his efforts to preserve Jacksonville’s historic county courthouse, he laid the groundwork that enabled the Southern Oregon Historical Society to gather and preserve one of the largest regional history collections in the country.
Presenter Larry Mullaly is a retired educator and community college administrator with a love for sharing history. He serves on the committee to coordinate Windows in Time programs and he frequently contributes to the Southern Oregon Historical Society Quarterly. The lecture will be on Wednesday, December 6, from 12:00-1:00 PM online and in-person at the Medford Library. It will happen again on Wednesday, December 13, from 12:00-1:00 PM in-person at the Ashland Library. Registration is required for both events and can be accessed here: https://jcls.libcal.com/event/11068278.
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. The lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society and Jackson County Library Services. For more information, please contact the Southern Oregon Historical Society at 541-622-2025 or sohs.org. You can also contact Jackson County Library Services at 541-774-8679 or jcls.org.