- Ask The Expert!
Tour Begins - 1:30pm
With a background in construction and a BA degree in History, George Kramer earned a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation from UofO School of Architecture in 1989. He is the principal of Kramer & Company, a restoration-consulting firm based in Ashland. George has worked throughout Oregon developing design standards, heritage education programs and financial incentives to guide downtown revitalization. He wrote all four National Register Historic District nominations for Ashland, as well as listing downtown Grants Pass and Medford on the National Register. He serves as the design consultant for the Medford Urban Renewal Agency's nationally recognized "Facade Improvement Grant Program." Recent renovation projects include the Cascade Theatre in Redding, California, Lawrence's Jewelry in Medford, and the Commodore Apartments, in The Dalles. George's corporate clients include the Oregon Department of Transportation, Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp, and the Eugene Water and Electric Board. George is an emeritus member of the National Trust Board of Advisors, the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, and the Historic Preservation League of Oregon. In 1998 he was appointed to the Oregon Heritage Commission by Governor Kitzhaber and in May 2006 was elected its Chair. George's southern Oregon projects include the ACME Hardware Building and the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, now occupied by Porter's. In Ashland, George was part of the rehabilitation of the Ashland Springs Hotel and the J. P. Dodge Building, better known as Paddington Station, among many others.
- Haunted Brothels and Opium Dens of Medford
Tour Begins - 2:30pm
Ben Truwe will be conducting a free tour of many of the colorful spots of the early years of Medford.
Ben Truwes Resume:
2000 - present: Owner/Operator, Talky Tina Press, Medford, Oregon
- Non-fiction and historical publisher; currently 9 titles in print
- Internet marketer
- Authored authoritative history of Halloween that receives national
attention each October
1982 - 2004: Owner/Operator, ProType, Medford, Oregon
- Full-service typographer
- Largest such firm between Portland and Sacramento
- 1991 Southern Oregon Advertising Recognition award
1972 - present Journeyman printer, editor, typographer; various firms
- Wide range of hands-on experience in graphic arts and
advertising
- Supervisory, management, customer service experience
MILESTONES:
2005: Began historical walking tours of MedfordÕs brothels and opium dens
2005: Presented seminar on firebreathing and other sideshow stunts
2005: Chairman of grantmaking committee, Jackson County Cultural Coalition
2004: Volunteer of the year award, Southern Oregon Historical Society
2004: Nominated for inclusion in Yearbook of Experts
1995-present: Founding member, Bad Film Society
1992: Chairman of board of directors, Pacific College of Art and Design
1989: Bear Creek Vision planning committee
1986: Siting committee, Pacific College of Art and Design
1978-1982: Founding member, Upper Rogue Film Society
1974: B.A. English, University of Nevada--National Merit Scholar
1972: Completed printing apprenticeship
PASSIONS:
- Collector of lost Oregon film footage and nineteenth-century novelty catalogs
- Practitioner of pioneer technologies and sideshow stunts
- Published authority on talking toys and the history of Halloween
His normal tours are every Saturday at 12:00pm but has agreed to give free tours today only as a part of The Taste of History event.
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