Historic Jacksonville Cemetery

What more perfect time of year than Hallows Eve to highlight southern Oregon's famous historic Jacksonville Cemetery? This pioneer cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in the Pacific Northwest and one of the few that has remained in continuous use.

Over 32 acres and 4,000 grave sites you can take a peek into the fascinating lives and history of southern Oregon's pioneer past. Unlike most cemeteries, this one is divided into sections. Four sections represent fraternal organizations: The Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Independent (German), and Improved Orders of Red Men. Two sections represent religions--Roman Catholic and Jewish. The seventh and largest section is the City portion, which includes a Potter's Field.

Margaret Love was the first person buried here in 1859. The cemetery was platted the year of her death and dedicated in 1860. Some of the cemetery graves have elaborate memorials in keeping with late 1800s traditions. Most of the pioneers who came to this area came for one of two reasons--gold or free land. Many who came for the gold, stayed for the land. Most of those who got rich, however, were those who supplied goods and services to the miners and settlers. In the process of seeking their fortunes, these pioneers endured extreme hardship, Indian attacks, epidemics, and untimely deaths. Dreamers, opportunists, successes and failures, here they still rest some 150 years later....

Great Gray Owls Are A Hoot!

The Great Gray Owl is an elusive creature. So much so that it wasn't until the mid-1900s that experts even knew that they bred in the US. Then, in the 1960s, a couple of breeding pairs were discovered near Fort Klamath. Though rare, experts now know the Great Grays breed throughout the Southern Oregon Cascades at high elevations and throughout the Siskiyous at all elevations. The Dead Indian Plateau (east of Ashland, Oregon) supports one of the largest populations south of the Canadian border and is perhaps the most dependable place to find one. Birders from all over the U.S. visit this area every year hoping to encounter this bird and add its sighting to their birding "lists."

Interesting specifics on this fascinating creature: It is huge (although not in weight). Great Gray's bodies generally measure from 24 - 33 inches with wing spans of 4 1/2 - 5 feet (yes, FEET) and weigh only 1 1/2 - 3 pounds. Their faces have been described as a "satellite dish with two yellow eyes and a small white bow tie of feathers." This unusually large facial disk of feathers helps it register minute sounds of scurrying mice under snow, and gophers and moles burrowing near the surface.

Other interesting facts about this evasive bird:
-- Great Gray Owls can hunt for prey under snow cover by using their keen sense of hearing. The owl will plunge feet first into the snow to catch a rodent that it never saw.
--Great Gray Owls are considered the largest of North American owls, but the Snowy Owl and Great Horned owls are heavier and more powerful.
--Because of its secretive living and hunting habits, it is often referred to as the "Great Gray Ghost" or "Phantom of the North."
--Female Great Gray's are slightly larger than males.
--After the first couple weeks of life, owlets either fall or jump from the nest. As they are not yet ready to fly, they must climb back up the tree to the nest. It takes them another week or two to learn to fly. Mama Great Gray keeps a watchful TWO eyes on her owlets during this period.

In the Spirit of Comradery

Wow. Are we excited. The cool, organic micro-distillery located in southern Oregon, Organic Nation Spirits (ONS), is in talks with the friendly folks at White Water Warehouse for a blow your socks off Martini Madness trip on Oregon's Rogue River in 2010. Mark your calendars for the Sunday, August 29 - 31. ONS's owners and husband/wife team Diane Paulson and David Eliasen are game to play hosts to two evenings of signature Martinis made with their organic gin and vodka.

Relax after a wonderful day of rafting and kayaking...kick your feet up and find out how Diane and David's Organic Spirits are rock'in the west coast.

We know we can't wait to find out what Diane & David dream up for the two evenings' signature martinis!

This is an all-adults trip priced at $900/adult. Includes all food (from lunch the first day thru lunch the last day), lodging, gear, guides, government fees, shuttle back over the mountain at trip's end...and, of course, entree to those beautiful evening martinis! Don't miss this one. Call White Water Warehouse's office today and talk to Joy or Renee....1-800-214-0579.

Southern Oregon Spirits?!?

Thinking we might be a wee bit off our soon-to-be-Halloween rockers? Spirits in southern Oregon...and, organic spirits, no less! Well, it's no trick. Organic Nation Spirits doesn't brew witchy concoctions but this unique company does distill the finest organic gin & vodka! What a treat. Such quality products by local folks who are committed to producing unique, award-winning spirits.

How do they do it? Owners Diane Paulson (CEO of the company) and her husband David Eliasen's (V.P./Distiller) personalities reflect their products: clean, crisp and full of life. We stole a moment with Diane recently and she mentioned that not many folks know what a micro-distillery really is. "Although there is really no widely accepted definition of what constitutes 'craft,' 'artisan,' or 'boutique' spirits they are usually handmade in small batches, often from organic and/or sustainably grown ingredients. And in the case of our gin, it was a simple mistake.

"David was suppose to steep the botanicals (a mixture of 12 different plants including juniper berries and angelica root) for 12 hours but forgot and left it for 24 hours. So he mixed the 24-hour gin with the 12-hour gin and came up with the taste he was after." Paulson calls it a "coincidence of creativity."

The botanicals they use are special too. Supplied by a strictly organic grower and supplier, Pacific Botanicals of Grants Pass, they have focused on the best organic products and pure water (David's background was as a water expert). This focus on the "devil is in the details" (sorry, we couldn't resist the pun) means that their vodka and gin is in an elite class of spirits....one of very few organic spirits certified by Oregon Tilth.

We were so impressed by David & Diane's obsession with quality that we've asked to partner with them on an upcoming Rogue River rafting trip (you know by now that quality is also our obsession) in late summer of 2010. Look for more details in an upcoming blog....

In the mean time, check out what they call their mixology spotlight.

All photo images are copyrighted by Organic Nations Spirits.

Happy Halloween - Rogue River Style!

Fishing guides and other boaters have been placing the orange orbs--pumpkins--on the Rogue River's rocky cracks and crevices for years. Legend has it that several boats have sunk to the bottom of the Rogue trying to place these golden gourds in tough-to-reach spots. Old timers will tell you how fishing guides rowing drift boats have their customary perches and like to compete with one other to put the pumpkins in the riskiest, hardest to reach embankments.

Literally hundreds of pumpkins start appearing on the Rogue River's shorelines in mid-October...much to the delight and surprise of fisherman, rafters, and kayakers who have never seen the spectacle. Those that are used to the annual event, like Marial lodge owner Pat Cameron, simply shrug and say, "Oh, its been going on forever."

Well, we at White Water Warehouse love autumn and this zany river tradition. We'll leave you with a cool historic photo of pumpkins being harvested in the Rogue River Valley (not sure exactly what year this was taken). These hard working fellas probably weren't thinking of placing them along the Rogue River's shoreline in those days...
photo originally downloaded by Oregon State University photo archives

Southern Oregon's Century Trees

If your interest peaks when discovering things over a hundred years old...that are still growing...still impressive...still GREEN...then check out these three heritage trees on your travels in southern Oregon. These beauties have been creating oxygen and benefiting our planet for over 100 years...two of them for nearly 150 years!!!

The Lonesome Hickory - Mary Louise Black planted this Shagbark Hickory tree in 1866 from nuts she carried from Missouri along the Oregon trail. This is the only Shagbark Hickory in the area. 131 years old. 18 feet high. Located in Eagle Point, Oregon. Latitude: 42.585977 Longitude: -122.81687


Hanley Farms Willow - Martha Hanley planted this Weeping Willow to commemorate the birth of her son. This willow was delivered from a Willamette Valley nursery (on horseback) in a potato to keep the shoot from drying out! 148 years old. 30 feet high. Located in Jacksonville, Oregon.
Latitude: 42.335521 Longitude: -122.933139

Britt Sequoia - The famous Peter Britt, who is best known as the namesake of Jacksonville's modern-day Britt Musical Festival, planted this giant tree in the spring of 1862 on the day of his son's birth. The tree is now 135 years old and stands 205 feet high. Located in Jacksonville, Oregon. Latitude: 42.314703 Longitude: -122.971274

To discover more cool southern Oregon heritage trees, go to the new Oregon Heritage Map.

Betty Barss' Art: Reflecting Her Sense of Place

"My life really isn't all that interesting," starts out southern Oregon watercolor artist Betty Barss. We here at White Water Warehouse, politely disagree. Betty has established herself as an exceptional painter who works in the most unforgiving of venues: watercolor. "I taught art to fourth and sixth graders for 25 years and during that time had only Saturdays open to focus on devotion to my art. Now retired, I slowly moved from oils to transparent watercolors. The hardest part of making this transition was to work in reverse from oils...with watercolor painting, you 'save your whites.' I love painting in this style because it is a constant challenge. You must be flexible because there is a real spontaneity to this style. Some days it is truly the painting that tells ME where it wants to go..."

Betty and her husband still reside in southern Oregon but also have a home in eastern Oregon. And it is no surprise that you can see these two Oregon landscapes--southern and eastern-- are represented in her paintings. Her gift is in her ability to reflect her sense of place through her paintings.

You can look at more of Betty's artwork at her website. Or, if you are in the Ashland, Oregon area, stop in Art & Soul, a gallery that specializes in original, two-dimensional fine art. They carry many of Betty's paintings.








All images displayed in this blog are copyrighted by artist Betty Barss.

Oregon Statewide Interactive Heritage Map

Someone put together this extremely cool map of Oregon's heritage trees, historical markers, and rest areas. We'll make this blog short, because the map speaks for itself. Very interesting and fun to interact with.

More on southern Oregon's heritage trees in an upcoming blog. Will be fun to highlight these trees and historic locations for our Rogue River rafting guests.

Dodero Ceramics: Distinctive. Elegant. Genius.

Why does southern Oregon seem to birth genius? John Dodero's ceramic creations glow with simple brilliance. Simply genius. Once you've seen one of his pieces, you will never forget its image. The vibrancy of the colors he uses. His novel incorporation of a raku-style firing technique. His clever fusion of Asian and southwest Native American influences.

You are immediately attracted to John's art but it is his personality that's the real show-stopper. John reveals, "If you are looking for a potter with a fancy pedigree or letters after their name, I am not your guy. I am mainly self-taught, flunked every art class I took in school and am probably unteachable." Ah, John, you give the rest of us hope!

Since 1977, Dodero has evolved a ceramic style like no other. His working studio in Jacksonville, Oregon--a small township in southern Oregon--is sort of "east meets west" and his pottery reflects that synthesis. Successfully marrying these two styles creates art pieces that fit seamlessly into almost any decorating style.

Enter his website but be forewarned, you're going to fall in love with his designs....Indulge yourself by ordering his creations on-line

All images are copyrighted by John Dodero and Dodero Studio Ceramics