Talent Historical Society to present photo exhibit, new book on Almeda Fire

A photo of the Almeda Fire from the new book “Talent, Oregon: The Almeda Fire.”
April 18, 2023

Open house event on April 29 will focus on residents’ experiences of 2020 disaster

By Matt Witt

Residents’ experiences during the Almeda Fire are the subject of a new bilingual book and photo exhibit produced by the Talent Historical Society which will be unveiled during an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at the Talent Historical Society Museum, 105 N. Market St., Talent.

Display cases at the Talent History Museum.

The book, “Talent, Oregon: The Almeda Fire,” contains numerous articles, interviews, photos, work by local artists and poems on the September 2020 disaster that destroyed thousands of structures and left three people dead. The collection, which covers a wide range of emotions, including heartbreak, resilience, anger, and hope, includes written material in both English and Spanish.

Talent Historical Society board members met shortly after the fire. “We looked at each other and said, ‘We have to document this fire’,” said Debra Moon, the society’s outreach and volunteer coordinator. “We voted unanimously to adopt the task of recording the personal stories of the Almeda Fire, its effects on our community, and the community response.”

Talent Elementary School second graders contributed some stories to the book, and a Talent Middle School class conducted interviews with town residents. One section of the book deals with relief efforts taken on by the Rogue Action Center, Rogue Climate and Talent Maker City. Another section focuses on the impact to local businesses, and another includes viewpoints from first responders.

Additional stories are available online at talenttowninflames.blogspot.com.

“We know that we didn’t get all the important stories,” a statement from the Talent Historical Society reads. “Unfortunately, those who were hit hardest found it hardest to tell their story, and we don’t have many from them. We acknowledge their loss and their struggle.”

Free historic tours of downtown Talent will also be available during the open house. The tours will run between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the release said.

Matt Witt is a writer and photographer living in Talent.

The cover of “Talent, Oregon: The Almeda Fire,” a compilation of 71 articles, interviews and poems.
Picture of Ryan

Ryan

Related Posts...

Ashland youths experience theater as a creative act

For five days, Ashland elementary and middle-schoolers had the chance to “make art” in a theater workshop presented by the Empowered Arts Ensemble, which trains children in theater. In devised theater, no one knows what the end product will look like — not the performers nor the creative team. The work is collaborative and experimental.

Read More »

A MovieMaker fav: Lights, camera, Ashland!

For the 11th time, MovieMaker Magazine has named Ashland one of the best small towns in the U.S. and Canada for filmmakers — landing at No. 7 on the 2025 list and proving once again that this artsy mountain town is a cinematic gem.

Read More »

Our Sponsors

Klamath Bird Observatory Experience the wonders of Souteast Brazil Ashland Oregon
Conscious Design Build Ashland Oregon
Pronto Printing Ashland Medford Southern Oregon

Latest posts

Our Sponsors

Ashland Parks and Recreation Ashland Oregon
City of Ashland Public Notice Ashland Oregon
Ashland.news House Ad

Explore More...

A majority of some 380 striking nurses at Providence Medford Medical Center have rejected the health care system's latest contract offer, joining thousands of other nurses around the state who remain on strike going into their fifth week. It is the largest healthcare worker strike in Oregon history.
Anima Mundi Productions presented internationally acclaimed Israeli cellist Amit Peled and leading Spanish concert pianist, Daniel Del Pino, in a memorable concert celebrating Jewish musical tradition presented through the Oregon Center for the Arts in the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall on Sunday.
Internationally acclaimed Israeli-American cellist Amit Peled, in town to perform a sold-out concert at Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall on Sunday, Feb. 2, gave a lively, entertaining and highly instructive master class at Ashland High School on Friday, Jan. 31.
The Friends of Hannon Library will host a panel discussion on "Information, Misinformation, and Disinformation" from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. More and more, researchers, students, and citizens face a landscape of incomplete, incorrect and untrustworthy information.
Reader Photo: Diane Toth took this photo of finches on a line providing a collorful contrast to a gray snowy day while awaiting their turn at a snow-capped bird feeder.
ashland.news logo

Subscribe to the newsletter and get local news sent directly to your inbox.

(It’s free)

Don't Miss Our Top Stories

Get our newsletter delivered to your inbox three times a week.
It’s FREE and you can cancel anytime.