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--> --> A veteran's gravemarker in the cemetery along Morton Street highlights Ashland's rich history. Ashland Daily Tidings/AMY ALONZO Ashland's history comes alive By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings Ashland's vibrant heritage will be celebrated beginning Sunday, with a succession of daily events planned through the week culminating with the annual Distinguished Architectural Preservation awards Friday. "I think a lot of Ashland's charm is based on its historic buildings," local historian George Kramer said. "The idea of the awards ceremony is that when someone steps up to the plate (building in a historically compatible manner), those awards are our applause." A series of planned tours and open houses will shed light on some of Ashland's more significant points of historic interest, including: · 1 p.m. Sunday - a tour of Siskiyou Boulevard from the Ashland Public Library at the corner of Siskiyou Boulevard and Gresham Street to the Swedenburg House and Southern Oregon University with Ashland photo historian Terry Skibby; · 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday - open house at the Old Ashland Armory, 208 Oak Street, which was built in 1913 as a National Guard headquarters, and even housed a bowling alley for a time; · 3:30 p.m. Tuesday - walking tour of three Ashland cemeteries which are on the National Register of Historic Places, led by Skibby; starting at the Morton Street entrance of Ashland Cemetery at 3:30 p.m.; · 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday - open house at the Ashland Memorial Mausoleum, Normal Avenue east of Ashland Street. The Egyptian-style building went up in 1924 and features double-leaf bronze doors, Alaskan white marble sheet walls, bronze ventilation grills and stained glass windows; · 4 p.m. Wednesday - walking tour of the Plaza with historian and raconteur Joe Peterson; · 1:45 p.m. Thursday - tour of the Ashland Municipal Power Plant, built in 1909; meet at the Lithia Park Butler Bandshell on Winburn Way at 1:45 p.m.; · 10 a.m. Thursday - dedication ceremony of refurbished path at Triangle Park, which was created in 1903 on the corner of Siskiyou Boulevard and Iowa Steet and recently restored by Ashland High School students and local historians; · Noon Friday - the Distinguished Architectural Preservation Awards ceremony, in which people are recognized for historically compatible building practices. Presented at the John M. Easterling Building (old VFW Building), 552 A St. The awards have been given out for nearly 20 years to recognize work in residential, commercial, civic individual and new construction. "I think it helps to have the awards because it just makes everybody aware of the historic nature of some of our buildings." Skibby said. "It brings attention to historic preservation." "Anything we can do to get across the importance of having historic buildings within our town helps," Historic Commission Chairman Dale Shostrom added. Throughout the week, copies of historic city maps will be on display at City Hall on the Plaza, 20 East Main Street. The maps document changes in the city through time. Other events included open houses at homes on the National Historic Register, including the Mary Rose House, 77 Sixth Street and the Lucas-Parker House at 59 Sixth Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday; the Moody House, 107 Manzanita Street from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday; and the Whittle Garage Building - now the Standing Stone Brewery - at 101 Oak Street 11:30 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. May 18. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing