New Event Center on the Horizon for Southern Oregon Historical Society
“I can’t even begin to tell you what a fabulous addition this event center is going to be to our downtown and our community,” said Will Brake, Executive Director of Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS).
SOHS is transforming their building at 106 North Central, former home of Kid Time and JC Penney into a vibrant public event center. The design for the downstairs of the building centers around a blend of historic charm and modern functionality and will include:
- A 4,000 square foot main hall with a seating capacity of 200
- Three historically themed conference rooms
- A fully equipped catering kitchen
- A historical speakeasy
- Two bridal party rooms
Architect’s renderings of the main hall.
The spaces can be rented for weddings, reunions, parties, conferences, etc. SOHS will also use the event center for historical events, music productions, lectures and other functions.
Future plans for the second floor, in addition to administration offices, will feature a 6,000 square foot museum that will house many of the close to one million historical pieces owned by SOHS, some of which were formerly on display at what was the Jacksonville Museum.
Work on the event center is starting this fall, beginning with the HVAC system, the roof, and the bathroom remodels, followed by the remodel of the main hall and other downstairs rooms, with an expected completion date of mid-2026. The upstairs remodel will start in about two years. Funding for the project includes a $50,000 grant from the City of Medford’s Council Community Initiative Fund (CCIF).
The Southern Oregon Historical Society was created in 1946 to save the abandoned county courthouse in Jacksonville. Voters agreed by passing a county-wide historical levy. This allowed SOHS to create a museum and build one of the major regional history collections in the nation. SOHS was given the historic Hanley Farm in 1982 and in 1990 purchased its current building. The historical levy ended when Oregon voters changed the state constitution in 1997 and was fully phased out in 2007.
Today SOHS is member-owned and volunteer-driven. Its efforts are supported by memberships, community partnerships, grants and earned income. Current programs include the SOHS Research Library, family programs at Hanley Farm, educational programs for school groups, history programs in the community, public exhibits, and a quarterly journal that shares articles on regional heritage.
“Our venue has a unique style, a unique niche, historic ambiance, museum content, and cultural depth and has potential to boost cultural tourism in the region,” Board President Doug McGeary has been quoted as saying.
Executive Director Will Brake, who has been on the job six months and has a background in medical administration, event planning, and real estate, said, “Creating an event center is like second nature to me. The event center will add to the vitality and the revenue of downtown. Being two blocks from the new hotel will be great.”