Silverton Sojourn
Long before the Oregon Garden took root on the outskirts of Silverton in 1997, there was Silverton itself, a nationally registered historic district and one of the most genuinely charming small towns around. But who knew? Locals, of course, who relished living in a town where everyone knows one another, and where the Silverton Pet Parade (May 17, 10–11:15 a.m.; Main and Water Streets) is one of the year’s big events, and where a penny in a parking meter still buys you 12 minutes.
“I had guests who called it ‘Whoville,’ ” says innkeeper Sheila Rosborough. A native of Great Britain, Rosborough moved to Silverton in 2000 and bought the 1890 Wolford Hotel, transforming it into the elegant five-room Water Street Inn (421 N. Water St.; 866/873-3344), a delightful place to stay if you spend more than one day in town. Rosborough laughs about her new home, saying, “All these people smiling and greeting you―it’s like we’re stuck in the ’60s.”
Stuck in the ’60s perhaps, but with a leg in the 19th century―when some of downtown’s brick-and-stick buildings were built―and with more than a toe in the 21st century: you’ll still find antiques, but increasingly the town’s merchants are leaning toward contemporary art and artful furnishings. Lunaria Gallery (113 N. Water; 503/873-7734) is a co-op showing two dozen local artists’ works. Silver Creek Gallery (closed Sun–Tue; 119-A N. Water; 503/873-6767) displays Northwest oils and watercolors as well as wood, clay, and glass pieces.