jan-2018

34 35 MEDFORD, OREGON AN OUTDOOR PARADISE Medford, Oregon M edford,Oregon, the county seat of Jackson County, is located in the southwestern part of the state near the California border.The city sits in a rain shadow between the Cascade Range and the Siskiyou Mountains called the Rogue Valley.At an elevation of 1,400 feet, it has a mild climate that allows for a long growing season, and, for many years,Medford’s economy was fueled by agriculture–especially pears and wine grapes.The city was originally named in 1883 by David Loring, a civil engineer and right-of-way agent for the Oregon and Cali- fornia Railroad, after his hometown,Medford, Massachusetts. Medford is the fourth largest city in the state with a population of 79,800. Its main economic drivers, today, are the healthcare industry and AT A GLANCE MEDFORD, OREGON WHAT: The fourth largest city in the state – pop. 79,800 WHERE: In the southwestern part of Oregon near the California border WEBSITE: www.ci.medford.or.us