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WalkAshland walking tours

History, Art, Theater

Ashland history walking tour

Plaza & Founding of Ashland history tour --- Meet at Lithia Park entrance at south end of Plaza

1 hr 30 mins··$15

Description: Learn about the founding of Ashland and early Ashland history: people, buildings, stories of triumph and tragedy, and more. You will be primarily on the Plaza. The walk will also go into Lithia Park and along Winburn Way.
Distance of walk: approximately 1 mile. Flat route, mostly paved walking surface with some uneven pavement, a few minutes of the walk are on a dirt path.
Route: Plaza, Lithia Park, Winburn Way, Alice Peil Walkway, Calle Guanajuato, back to Plaza.
Meeting spot: Meet at Lithia Park entrance sign at south end of Plaza.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

Impact of the Railroad on Ashland, history tour - Meet at the Golden Connections sculpture in Railroad Park, A Street at Seventh Street

2 hrs··$15

Learn about the impact of the railroad on Ashland in the late 1800s and through the 1900s. You will explore A Street and 4th Street in the Railroad District. Hear stories about Ashland’s Chinese community from 1880s to 1920s, why Ashland police fed free dinners to hobos in the early 1900s, and much more. Many historic photos.
Distance of tour: approximately 1.3 miles. Mostly flat, paved surface, some uneven pavement.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

Railroad District History+Art tour (Painted utility boxes & more) - Meet in front of U.S. Bank, corner of East Main St & Second St

1 hr 30 mins··$15

See eight colorful painted utility boxes, all part of Ashland's public art collection. You will also learn about nine historic Ashland sites on the walk. Length of walk: 1.2 miles. Flat route, mostly paved walking surface with some uneven pavement.
Route: Lithia Way, Oak Street, A Street, Third Street, back to Lithia Way and labyrinth.
Meeting spot: Meet in front of U.S. Bank, corner of East Main St & Second St.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

Plaza to Library, history+art tour --- Meet at flag pole on north side of Plaza

2 hrs··$15

A guided history and art walking tour through downtown Ashland. You will learn about historic buildings (some still here and some gone), hear stories of early Ashland people, and see beautiful public art. Many historic photos.
Length of walk: approximately 1 mile. Flat, paved walking surface.
Route: North end of Plaza, East Main Street, Ashland Carnegie Library, Third Street, return to Plaza along Lithia Way. Meeting spot: Meet at the flag pole on north side of Plaza.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

Shakespeare in Ashland from 1887 to 1939 -- Meet on "the bricks" near entrance to Elizabethan Theatre

1 hr 30 mins··$15

Learn about Shakespeare plays that were performed in Ashland in the late 1800s and early 1900s, decades before Angus Bowmer founded the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). You will also hear my favorite OSF story from the early years of the Festival. You will see historic photos going back to the early 1900s.
Distance of walk: approximately 1 mile. Mostly on paved sidewalk, with some uneven surfaces.
Route: From Elizabethan Theatre area to East Main Street and back.
Meeting spot: Meet on "the bricks" near entrance to Elizabethan Theatre.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

Ashland's cultural journey from 1850s pioneers to Oregon Shakespeare Festival -- meet at Lithia Park sign

1 hr 30 mins··$15

Learn about the cultural and economic influences that transformed Ashland from an isolated pioneer community into a destination for lovers of creativity and culture. The early settlers were mostly practical, adventurous and entrepreneurial Midwesterners. From this humble beginning emerged an energetic community, a college, a City Band, the Chautauqua summer programs, health resorts, an Opera House, a vibrant park system, and eventually a world renowned theater. Many historic photos included.
Distance of walk: Less than 1 mile. Mostly flat route, paved walking surface with a few stairs and some uneven pavement.
Route: Lithia Park entrance, Lower Duck Pond, Bill Patton Garden, East Main Street, OSF "bricks" by Elizabethan Theatre.
Meeting spot: Meet by the Lithia Park sign at park entrance, south end of the Plaza. The tour will end at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival "bricks" by the Allen Elizabethan Theatre.

Ashland art walking tour

Downtown public art tour: Native Americans, Pioneers, Sister Cities and more - Meet at the Pioneer Mike statue in the Plaza

1 hr 30 mins··$15

See and learn in depth about beautiful, meaningful public art in downtown Ashland. Learn about the artists and how they made their artworks. Through the art, you'll be introduced to Rogue Valley Native American history, Ashland pioneer history and modern Ashland.
Distance of tour: about 1 mile.
Walking surface: sidewalks. We will go down a stairway.
Meeting spot: Meet at the Pioneer Mike statue in Ashland Plaza.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

Railroad District History+Art tour (Painted utility boxes & more) - Meet in front of U.S. Bank, corner of East Main St & Second St

1 hr 30 mins··$15

Fordyce murals tour, Fordyce neighborhood - Meet at corner of East Main St & Wightman St, in front of new National Guard Armory

1 hr 30 mins··$15

As we walk through the Fordyce Street neighborhood, you will see 15 colorful, uplifting murals and mosaics. You will learn about the local artists and how they created the artworks. Many photos of the artists and their artistic process.
Distance of walk: approximately 1 mile. Flat route, mostly paved walking surface with some uneven pavement, short distance on dirt path.
Route: East Main Street, through Evergreen Park, Mill Pond Road, Fordyce Street, Orchid Street, Rose Lane, Fordyce Street, Evergreen Lane, through Evergreen Park, back to East Main Street.
Meeting spot: Corner of East Main Street and Wightman Street, on the sidewalk in front of the new National Guard Armory.
Note: Children 10 years and younger are free.

About

See Ashland anew. Learn about our history, art, theater and culture. Stories and photos that bring people of the past to life for you -- even ghosts! Walking tours are about 90 minutes long. Private tours available for your family or group. Peter Finkle also writes photo essays at WalkAshland.com and talks to community groups.

(541) 778-1299

walkashland@ashlandhome.net

https://walkashland.com

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