Northern California/Oregon Road Trip August 2015

Did You Know? - The first people of European descent arrived in the area as early as 1812; they were animal trappers and food gatherers for the fur trading companies in Astoria, Oregon.

The first permanent American settlement in the area was the Jason Lee Methodist mission (1840) located in the area north of Salem known as Wheatland. In 1842, the missionaries established the Oregon Institute (the forerunner of Willamette University) in the area that was to become the site of Salem. In 1844, the mission was dissolved and the town site established.

In 1851, Salem became the territorial capital after it was moved from Oregon City. The capital was moved briefly to Corvallis in 1855, but was moved back to Salem permanently that same year. Salem incorporated as a city in 1857 and with the coming of statehood in 1859 became the state capital.

Did You Know? - Downtown McMinnville has been the heartbeat of Yamhill County since before it was incorporated in 1876.

The McMinnville of today is rich in history and small town charm, while providing amenities typically only associated with much larger cities.

The latter can be attributed in great part to the wealth of wineries in the area. Great wine naturally deserves excellent food,

which leads to a need for wonderful and varied overnight accommodations, and, of course, for superior coffee and breakfast in the morning.

Quaint boutiques, unique shops, and local galleries abound. Music fills the air from our farmers' market performers and outdoor concerts all summer long, and pours out of our restaurants and pubs on winter evenings.

Welcome to Oregon's favorite main street.

Did You Know? - Prime vineyard land in Oregon is difficult to find. Most of the premier vineyards are on east facing slopes. The reason for this is that the first sun of the day dries dew or rain from the vines helping to prevent diseases. Plus, the plant gets the benefit of the sun in the cooler part of the day instead of the hot afternoon sun. Cooler climate varietals such as pinot noir thrive in these conditions. The vineyards are on slopes to allow the cooler air to flow off the vineyard into the valleys below. Typically, vines below 250 feet in elevation are subject to the potential damaging frost. Vines above 1000 feet face a higher potential from damaging freezes and difficult ripening. After the east facing slopes, the southern facing and then west facing slopes are favored. Only rarely do you find any vineyards in Oregon that are planted on north facing slopes because ripening may not occur before the fall rains. The soil on the valley floor is very rich and can cause excessively vigorous vines which do not produce the best grapes for wine.

Did You Know? - Medford is located approximately 27 miles (43 km) north of the northern California border at 42.3°N. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.74 square miles (66.67 km2), of which, 25.73 square miles (66.64 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.

The Pacific Ocean is about 75 miles (121 km) west of the city, and is the nearest coast. The nearest river is the Rogue River (8 mi or 13 km), and the nearest lake is Agate Lake (13 mi or 21 km).

Nearby cities include Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, Ashland, Roseburg, Redding (California), and Crescent City (California). Medford is 229 miles (369 km) from Salem, the capital of Oregon.

The nearest interstate highway is I-5, which runs northwest-southeast through the center of the city. The nearest junctions with other interstate highways are with I-84 in Portland (273 mi or 439 km) and I-80 in Sacramento (309 mi or 497 km). Medford also serves as a junction for Oregon Routes 99, 238, 62, and nearby 140 (6 mi or 9.7 km).

Medford is also situated in the remains of ancient volcanic flow areas as demonstrated by the Upper and Lower Table Rock lava formations and nearby Mount McLoughlin and Crater Lake, which is the remains of Mount Mazama. In the late spring/early summer the snow on the slopes of Mount McLoughlin melt away into a formation called the "angel wings," which Native American tribes interpreted as an osprey, an indicator of the beginning of salmon run.