Take a tour of daily life in 1900

Jacksonville, Oregon – How would you like to live without a phone, TV, and even radio? A permanent change would be a difficult adjustment for most of us, but if you’re willing to give it a try for a half hour, then take a tour of daily life in 1900 with Historic Jacksonville Inc.

“We give people the experience of what daily life was like 125 years ago as compared to today,” said Carolyn Kingsnorth, president of Historic Jacksonville Inc, a historical preservation organization that recently received grant funding from the Avista Foundation. “We go from room to room in the Beekman House, which is completely furnished with family artifacts, and look at what life was like with no bathrooms, no phone, and none of the conveniences we have today.”

C.C. Beekman came to Jacksonville as an express rider in 1853. Three years later, he opened the Beekman Express and in 1863 he opened the Beekman Bank. Those were booming years in Jacksonville because gold had been discovered nearby, and thousands of people arrived to seek their luck in the creeks and hills of the Rogue Valley.

“He continued to be an express rider, doing many of the rides himself, and joined Wells Fargo in 1863,” Kingsnorth said. “We still have the original safe from 1863 in the bank building.”

Predating the bank building – which was built out of wood and is also famous for surviving numerous fires – was Beekman’s gold dust office which opened in 1857 and is widely recognized as the first bank north of San Francisco. “That’s why we say the Beekman Bank is the oldest financial institution in the Northwest,” Kingsnorth said.

Beekman was an entrepreneur who invested in real estate and mining but also sold textbooks. He was persuaded to run for Oregon governor – a job he didn’t want – so he only made one speech. “Yet he lost by just 70 votes,” Kingsnorth said, adding that he served on the school board and paid for the construction of local schools. Beekman operated the bank until his death in 1915. Nothing inside the bank building has changed since his death, making the museum very authentic.

“He was very much a public servant,” Kingsnorth said.

Tours at the 1870s C.C. Beekman House Museum, 470 E. California Street, are offered on February 22, March 15 and April 19 for just $8 per person. Visit historicjacksonville.org for more information.

At Avista, we recognize our unique position gives us the chance to contribute in an impactful way and make a real difference in people’s lives. Since 2002, the Avista Foundation has made grants totaling over $13 million to organizations that support vulnerable and limited income populations, education, and economic and cultural vitality. The foundation is a separate, non-profit organization established by Avista Corp., and does not receive funding from Avista Utilities’ customers through rates. For more information on grant applications and geographical areas covered, please visit avistafoundation.com.