Applegater Spring 2017
Applegate Valley Community Newspaper, Inc.
PO Box 14
Jacksonville, OR 97530
Photo by Teya Jacobi
1
applegater.org
SPRING 2017
Applegate Valley Community Newsmagazine
Celebrating
Volume 10, No. 1
Serving Jackson and Josephine Counties — Circulation: 11,000
Years
Grand plans for
McKee Bridge
Centennial Celebration
On Saturday, June 10, 2017, from 11 am to 3 pm, the McKee Bridge
Historical Society will host a grand centennial celebration on the bridge and in
the park with a variety of activities and events. After two years of not holding the
traditional McKee Bridge Day due to restoration work and an aging committee,
we are pleased to offer a special celebration of the bridge this year on the one
hundredth anniversary of its construction.
In 1917, after much discussion and attempts by early Jackson County
movers and shakers to create a rail line into the Applegate to facilitate moving
copper ore down from the Blue Ledge Mine (in the Upper Applegate drainage
above Elliott and Joe Creeks), it was ultimately decided to build the McKee
Covered Bridge to provide safe crossing of the river. The land was donated by
“Deb” McKee and his wife, grandparents of Evelyn Byrne Williams, our beloved
local historian. Jason Hartman and Sons built the bridge, which has withstood
numerous floods, as well as decay and aging, and has required many restoration
efforts over the past century. It still stands proud today because of the support
of the local community.
At the celebration, featured
musicians will be the Old-Time
Fiddlers, playing from 11 am to 1 pm,
followed by cowboy poet and balladeer
Butch Martin and singer-songwriter
Christina Lynn Martin presenting
original works relating to the bridge
See MCKEE BRIDGE, page 3
~23~
The Applegate mourns the
loss of vintner Jim Devitt
A stellar wine maker,
an uncommon intelligence,
a ready smile.
These apply to Jim
Devitt, owner of Devitt
Winer y, who died on
Friday, January 27, at 83.
Often heralded as one
of the best winemakers
in the valley, Jim and his
wife, Sue, opened the
tasting room at Devitt
Winery on Highway 238 in
Tasting-room visits with Jim Devitt at Devitt Winery
Jacksonville in 2003. In the
were always fun and educational. From left to right: Brooke
past his winery produced
Nielsen, Jim Devitt, Carlen Nielsen, and Mikell Nielsen.
between 2,500 and 3,000
cases a year. He wanted to keep his system for filling wine barrels without
operation small and manageable.
overflowing and spilling. And, as Jim
Jim previously owned and operated told the Applegater a couple of years ago,
Pope Valley Winery in the Napa Valley he enjoyed experimenting with many
from the early 1970s until the late 1990s. grape varietals, including cabernet, syrah,
His son Steve grew up working at Pope viognier, zinfandel blends, merlot, and a
Valley Winery and went to the University dessert wine.
of California, Davis, to study viticulture
Tasting-room visitors at Devitt
and enology. Steve is currently vice Winery received more than generous
president of wine making at Darioush pours—Jim was also generous in sharing
Winery in Napa.
his extensive knowledge of wine making.
With his engineering background,
The winery will remain open with
Jim developed new systems for the wine Brendon at the helm to continue Jim’s
industry. Jim and Devitt wine maker legacy. Jim is survived by his wife, Sue,
Brendon Butler (Jim and Sue’s grandson) and his children, Steve, Bob, Susan,
collaborated on the Auto Topper, a wine Victoria, Jeff, and Doug.
Applegate Valley history
McKee Bridge (left photo) in 1930 after damage from a big storm and major flooding, and
(right photo) in 1927. After 100 years, it remains a beautiful historic marker
in the Upper Applegate. Photos courtesy of Evelyn Byrne Williams.
Hippy communes revisited—
Part 1
BY DIANA COOGLE
Applegate inns abound
BY SHELLEY MANNING
As locals, we know what fun
activities abound in our area. So how
about taking a “staycation” right here in
our own backyard?
Take your sweetie to the Britt
Festival and surprise her with a romantic
stay in Jacksonville. Enjoy the country
life weekending in Applegate Valley’s
wine region. Find out what tickles your
fancy in any of these Applegate inns.
Applegate River Lodge
Joanna and Richard Davis built
the lovely Applegate River Lodge from
the ground up. With Richard’s design,
Joanna’s decorating skills, local and
imported logs, and lots of community
participation, the Applegate River Lodge
opened in May 1997. Ideally located
on the Applegate River, the lodge has
Local Postal Customer
See APPLEGATE INNS, page 12
Nonprofit Org
US Postage
PAID
Permit #125
Medford OR
ECRWSSEDDM
I, too, was a hippy. I know communal
living—the women in braids and long
skirts, the men in long hair and beards,
all the beads, headbands, homemade
clothes. And the music! The drumming
and guitars and singing. Hanging out at
the pond, full-moon festivals, gardens,
potluck gatherings, dancing naked by
the river in the full moon.
“It was our golden years, for sure,”
says John Hugo, co-founder of East
Side House, one of four communes
in the Applegate: Laser Farm (1969)
on Thompson Creek Road; East Side
A May Day celebration at Trillium Farm.
Photo courtesy of Chant Thomas.
House (1973) on the Applegate River;
Molto Bene (1974) on Slagle Creek;
See COMMUNES, page 12