Below I will describe a few of the more notable cities in Jefferson state
Ashland (15 miles north of the California border on I-5)
-An increase in older people choosing the Rogue Valley as their retirement destination has increased housing prices in the area, especially in Ashland. As a result, lower income families have had to relocate outside of Ashland, often moving to nearby Medford (located just northwest of Ashland). The dramatic demographic changes are reflected by the changes in public infrastructure, especially among merging school districts for younger children caused by declining numbers of young people. This demographic change influences the cultural characteristics of the city as well. Some argue the city is becoming too"hoity toity" as home prices rise and only the wealthy can remain as city residents.
-Ashland depends heavily on tourism for its economic success. Relatively large numbers of hotels, motels, restaurants, and other tourist based businesses survive on the revenue generated from tourists that come from across the country, especially between the months of February and October. During this time, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival attracts thousands of tourists to Ashland. For more information about the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, see Chapter 11: Recreational Resources.
Klamath Falls
Home to approximately 42,000 people (including the suburbs), Klamath Falls is located in Klamath County, Oregon. The surrounding area is characterized by its high desert landscape and naturally occurring geothermal springs, which have been used as an energy source to heat homes.
Yreka
Originally a gold-rush boomtown, Yreka is located in one of the northernmost counties in California (Siskiyou County). Today, the culture of this place is still influenced by the distant gold-rush of the mid-1800's. The local high schools mascot is a gold miner, and within the city is a gold-mining museum.
The naming of Yreka is shrouded in myth. Some say the name came from a Native American word meaning "North mountain" (describing nearby Mt. Shasta). The following passage is from Mark Twains autobiography describes one version of how Yreka got its name:
"Harte had arrived in California in the fifties, twenty-three or twenty-four years old, and had wandered up into the surface diggings of the camp at Yreka, a place which had acquired its mysterious name--when in its first days it much needed a name--through an accident. There was a bakeshop with a canvas sign which had not het been put up but had been painted and stretched to try in such a way that the word BAKERY, all but the B, showed through and was reversed. A stranger read it wrong end first, YREKA, and supposed that that was the name of the camp. The campers were satisfied with it and adopted it."
Eureka
Eureka is located in Humboldt County in northern California. This city is located near humboldt bay and is famous for easy access to beaches, nearby redwood forests, and high quality marijuana. Approximately 42,000 people live in the Eureka Micropolitan Area, which includes the smaller towns of Fortuna and Arcata (home of Humboldt Sate University).
This city has historically been sustained economically through the timber, fishing, and gold-mining industries. As the economy developed and timber, fish, and gold became both less abundant and legally protected, other industries became more popular. These industries include shipping, boating, and recently, tourism.
Old Town, found within the city of Eureka, is one of the nations best preserved Victorian era districts, and acts as both a commercial district as well as a popular tourist attraction.
Redding
Home to approximately 104,300 people, Redding is located where I-5 and the Sacramento River meet. In California, Redding is the largest city north of Sacramento. The climate is relatively extreme, with cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
Within the city of redding is the 300 acre Turtle Bay Exploration Park, which exhibits features about forestry, horticulture, and other natural sciences. Redding is a popular tourist stop, due to both its convenient location and its many tourist attractions.
