Want to know why the founder of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival ended up living in Ashland instead of Ellensburg, Washington or why string beans were planted to grow up the walls of the early OSF Elizabethan Theatre? Through stories and photos, Peter Finkle will relate how Ashland transformed from an isolated pioneer community to a destination for lovers of creativity and culture with a college, an opera house, Chautauqua programs, a vibrant park system, and eventually, a world-renowned theater.

Peter Finkle leads Ashland walking tours, with themes focused on History, Art and Haunted Ashland. He is the founder of WalkAshland.com, the premiere website about life in Ashland, Oregon. You’ll find photo essays about Ashland neighborhoods, people, history, art, gardens, holidays, Trees of the Year and more.

The monthly Windows in Time lunchtime lectures feature well-known writers and historians and bring alive the people, values, and events that shaped our southern Oregon heritage. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) and Jackson County Library Services. Programs are presented in Medford (first Wednesdays, in-person and online) and again in Ashland (second Wednesdays, in-person). Recordings of Medford presentations are available on the JCLS Beyond YouTube channel.