In 1966, Jacksonville made history by becoming the first city in Oregon to be designated a National Historic Landmark District, recognized as a remarkably preserved late 1800s Gold Rush boom town. This milestone event reflects on six decades of community effort, preservation, and local pride that kept Jacksonville’s rich heritage alive for generations.

Tickets for this event are available at jacksonvillecommunitycenter.org.

Join Jacksonville Community Center to observe this anniversary with Larry Smith, a beloved local historian, author, and retired fifth-grade teacher who taught at Jacksonville Elementary School for thirty-three years before retiring in 2000. Known as the unofficial historian of Jacksonville, Larry is a founding member and executive director of the Jacksonville Woodlands Association, an avid photographer with an archive of over twenty thousand local historic photos, and a former interpretive park ranger at Crater Lake National Park. His lifelong dedication to education and preservation has played a key role in protecting both Jacksonville’s history and its natural trail network.

This event is supported by a Public Programs Grant from Oregon Humanities.