Trip-worthy town: Jacksonville, Oregon

Jacksonville is a historic town in Southern Oregon's Wine Country that time forgot—but visitors shouldn't.

On a lazy summer Sunday morning, sleepy-eyed tourists, bike riders and locals gather for a cup of morning push at Goodbean Coffee Company in downtown Jacksonville. The line reaches nearly to the door, but no one’s in a particular hurry. Even the dogs are yawning as their owners flip through magazines and nibble on bagels.

In a town that time forgot nearly a hundred years ago, its easy to slip into a slower, friendlier pace—forgetting for a few minutes at least that cellphones and urgent emails were ever invented.

Jacksonville, which is nestled into the Applegate Valley between Grant's Pass and Medford, is a historic mining town that’s been lovingly restored to the near mint condition of its late 1880's glory days. Brick buildings, hastily-constructed frontier-style shops and nearby Victorian homes now houses galleries, wineries and restaurants, but the feeling of the Old West is still very much alive.

Once the largest town in southern Oregon, Jacksonville got its start as a gold mining mecca, echoing with the cries of “Eureka!” for a short time. However, the rush was short-lived, and when the main north-south train line bypassed the small town, its fate was sealed. Fortunately, in the 1960's the crumbling town was made a National Historic Landmark and restoration began.

The town is becoming a favorite visitors' stop, with a bustling arts scene (thanks to the nearby Brittfest and several artists groups in town), impressive restaurants, a handful of boutiques and charming Victorian bed and breakfast retreats on just about every corner. But on a Sunday morning, Jacksonville is still just sleepy enough to make it the perfect place to a long, slow cup of coffee. And maybe a yawn or two.

• Plan your Southern Oregon Wine Country itinerary: Applegate Valley.