Seniors Spend Time in Medford

 Seems like every time this senior watches the weather channel, up comes Medford in southern Oregon. With a population of 77,677 and a metropolitan area population of 208,545, Medford is the 4th largest metro area in Oregon.

Medford was named in 1883 by David Loring, a civil engineer, for his home town of  Medford, Massachusetts. Medford is located approximately 27 miles (43 km) north of the northern California border.

Medford began as a muddy railroad town in 1883 and was incorporated in 1885. Early in the 20th century, population and financial growth, spurred by real estate speculation known as the “Orchard Boom”, established Medford as a regional urban center.

Seniors Find  Aviation And Pears In History

By the mid-1920s, the city had also become an aviation leader, claiming the first public airport and only airmail stop in Oregon, and in 1927 Medford became the county seat. Eden Valley Orchards is the birthplace of the Oregon pear industry and a historical leader of innovative agriculture.

In Medford’s pear heyday, there were up to 12,000 acres of pears, some 400 growers, and almost 30 packing houses. Surrounding Jackson County was the fourth leading pear-producing county in the nation and the number-one winter pear producer.

Today, the pear industry has declined to about 6,000 acres, a dozen or so growers, and only one commercial packing house plus mail order fruit company Harry and David. And those Royal Riviera Pears, there is nothing in the world like them. They say you can eat them with a spoon. I know, I’ve done it.

 

 Seniors Discover Cultural Banquet

The Rogue Valley is said to be “a banquet table of cultural activity.”  TripAdvisor suggests that seniors visitors take in the wild and scenic Rogue River, both the Upper and Lower Table Rock and the Medford Railroad Park. They rank one, two and three for popularity.

Senior travelers can tour the area’s five covered bridges and take advantage of a mild climate to go hiking, biking or rafting. Make your way through orchards, creameries and vineyards on a tasty wine and cheese tour. I enjoy tours and these sound really good to me. For my wife, she would enjoy selecting one of the six B&Bs and Inns in Medford.

The local Chamber feels that one of the secrets to southern Oregon’s unique way of life is its wide array of  high quality cultural attractions. The recreation available via the natural world makes this area an ideal place to work, play and retire.

From what I have observed, Medford has it all together. Senior travelers are invited to stop by and enjoy. -jeb