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Summer is upon us and it’s time to pick up the series on small-town visitations. Today’s one-hour road trip took Lynn and I north on Interstate 5 through mountain passes and creeping semis to Glendale, a sleepy little burg that’s 25 miles north of Grants Pass and well hidden from the mad rush. The early railroad line from Grants Pass to Roseburg birthed Glendale, which lies along the Cow Creek Valley in Douglas County. I knew the day held promise when I called the city of Glendale office and Sara Winn answered the phone chuckling at me already. Sara is the administrative assistant there who bid me warm welcome after hearing my plan to pay them an impromptu visit. Mayor Adam Jones and City Recorder Dawn Russ greeted and seated us inside the council chambers for an honest-to-goodness meeting. I thought, wait a minute, this is getting too serious. But we soon became friends and laughed over no one else wanting the mayor’s job, when Adam stepped in, and quite capably it appears. Their town motto is, “That Small Town Life.” And a better representation would be hard to find. Glendale’s population is just under 900 and has remained fairly steady since the late 1800s. Something tells me that’s exactly how the good people of Glendale like things. Driving in, we noticed a thriving wood mill and learned that it’s part of the Swanson Group, a major employer in the area. Mayor Jones and his wife fled big-city life in Grants Pass 25 years ago and found the peace and friendliness they sought. When discussing the political climate, Dawn added, “Everybody works together. I can’t say enough good things about the people here in Glendale.” Jones said, “Although we’re a city, we live out in the woods, so most of the recreational activities are outdoors — hunting, fishing and hiking.” Though we didn’t have time to make the run, he told of a 35- to 40-mile backcountry drive between Glendale and Riddle known as the Cow Creek Scenic Byway, now on my list. After our visit, we ventured upstairs to see how a handful of dedicated individuals have managed to keep the library operational when voters refused to pay for county funding. We learned that volunteers all over the county came to the rescue in most communities. Betsy Aman and Deborah Browning were hard at work getting their branch ready for kids and the summer reading program ready to launch the next day. Lynn and I stabled Fiona the Honda at Morningstar Coffeehouse, grabbed cups of truly flavorful Joe, and walked the downtown area. We found a bittersweet mix of historic homes and locally owned shops, along with businesses that had once bloomed but succumbed to the bust of leaner times. Mayor Adams told us about the Cow Creek Valley Community Association providing special events for kids and adults alike. There’s something to look forward to each season, including a grand Fourth of July celebration complete with parade and fireworks at the high school (the mayor says their town boasts one of the finest fireworks displays in Southern Oregon). Fall brings a costume parade through town for kids, and the fire department ushers in Santa at Christmastime, with Glendalians socializing and enjoying free cocoa and cookies well into the evening hours. Sounds cozy. They cherish their small-town life, but they definitely welcome visitors, so pack a picnic lunch, grab your Frisbee for a little disc golf in the park, and slow the pace down to the peaceful flow of a humble town, where seemingly small things are celebrated in a big way. If the folks we met today exemplify the population, Jones and Russ weren’t exaggerating about the friendliness factor. On your way out of town, be sure to check out their most unique high school. Hint — it’s the proud home of the Pirates. Peggy Dover is a freelance writer. Email her at [email protected].