The city of Medford was born in the late 1800s when the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad pushed south through a town called "Middleford" in the Rogue Valley. By 1910 Medford, renamed by a railroad engineer, was a rapidly growing, prosperous community and Jackson County had become one of the fastest growing counties in the United States.

In February of 1919 ground was broken for a new brick railroad depot to replace the older, wooden structure located south of Main St.  This new depot was completed and dedicated in October of that same year, a mere nine months from start to finish. After just two glorious decades passenger rail service declined due in part by the great depression and the increasing popularity of automobile travel.

From 1955 to 1966 the depot was used only as a freight office. Now, after extensive renovation as a restaurant and bar and designation as a National Historic Landmark, this true gem of Southern Oregon architecture once again proudly serves the community.  For more information please visit www.porterstrainstation.com

The Oregon Vortex and House of Mystery is an area of naturally occurring visual and perceptual phenomena.  The House of Mystery itself was originally an assay office and later used for tool storage, built by the Old Grey Eagle Mining Company in 1904.  But the history of the surrounding area, The Oregon Vortex, goes way back to the time of the Native Americans. Their horses would not come into the affected area, so the Native Americans called the area the "Forbidden Ground", a place to be shunned.

Many years before The House of Mystery was built it was noted that unusual conditions existed there.  But it was not until John Litster, a geologist, mining engineer, and physicist, developed the area in the early 1920's and opened it to the public in 1930.  He conducted thousands of experiments within the Vortex until his death in 1959.  For more information please visit www.oregonvortex.com

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions draws nearly 85,000 people every season, which runs from May 1st through September. Visitors from all over the world make Grants Pass’ Hellgate Jetboats their destination in order to board the propeller-less boat that is pushed by the hydro-jet that glides just inches above the water's surface.
Along the river, trained, educated and witty Hellgate pilots offer a narrated historic overview of the region and point out landscape features amid the most majestic scenery to line any waterway in the country. On every trip, pilots point to nearby wildlife such as deer, river otter, osprey and bald eagles flying overhead, guarding nests or perched on high branches. 

Passengers on the morning, afternoon, or white water tours pass through whitewater class II rapids and are driven to the very edge of the Rogue’s restricted section, ending at Hellgate Canyon with 100-foot-high cliffs made famous for the cliff-jumping scene in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. On the return ride, jet boat adventurers stop in for brunch, lunch or dinner at the newly remodeled Northwest River Lodge called the OK Corral.  For more information please visit www.hellgate.com

The Crater Lake lodge and rim drive are often closed until June due to snow.  However the park is open with snowshoeing tours and cross-country skiing all winter.  The roads may require chains, but most likely by the end of May they should be pretty clear.  For more information please visit http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm