History

RoxyAnn Winery is proud to have a rich, multi-generational history as a Southern Oregon winery. The Parsons family has stewarded Hillcrest Orchard, one of the Rogue Valley’s oldest orchards, since 1908.

The land itself has a rich history, beginning with its settlement by Samuel Bowen in 1853. Bowen sold the property to Jesse Richardson in 1868, who turned it into a much more extensive farm.

In January 1889, William Renkin purchased the farm, which was later acquired by William H. Stewart for $4500 after Renkin’s death. Stewart’s father, Joseph J. Stewart, was a Missouri nurseryman who arrived in the Rogue Valley in 1885 and began the local commercial fruit industry by planting a large orchard south of Medford. William H. Stewart likely transported some of these young trees to the land that eventually became Hillcrest Orchard.

In 1903, Julian Wells Perkins, a Portland businessman, purchased the orchard from Stewart and named it Hillcrest. Perkins also constructed a new residence on Hillcrest Road.

A NEW BEGINNING

J.W. Perkins sold the orchard to Hillcrest Orchard Company in 1908. Within two years, Reginald Parsons of Seattle, Washington, took control and became the owner and manager. He went on to significantly transform it into one of the finest orchard complexes in southern Oregon.

Parsons, a financier and philanthropist, contributed to the development of the Pacific Northwest. He served as the Seattle representative to plan development of the Columbia River Basin Project in 1922, and acted as president of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Parsons was also a member of the Whitman College Board of trustees.

Meanwhile, Parson’s wife, Maude Bemis Parsons, acted as one of the organizers of the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle. Reginald and Maude also co-founded the Art Institute of Seattle.

Their historic legacy lives on in some of the most notable institutions in the Pacific Northwest.

185 ACRES CIRCA 1908

Around 1908, the orchard covered approximately 185 acres with equal portions of pears and apples. Horse-drawn tank wagons watered the acreage until the implementation of irrigation district water systems in the 1920s.

By 1938, pears replaced all the apple trees, and new pear trees took the place of older pear trees as their health declined.

Some trees planted in 1897 still produce fruit nearly a century later, and newer plantings are at a higher density to increase output per acre.

ARCHITECT FRANK C CLARK

After just a few years at Hillcrest Orchard, the Parsons family hired architect Frank C. Clark to design a Period Colonial Style residence. The home was completed in 1917, with many ideas from Mrs. Parsons incorporated into the design.

Clark designed several other orchard buildings as well, including the Office building, Recreation House, Guest House, and Packing House.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

Hillcrest Orchard’s rich history and unique architecture earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its significance in the local community and beyond.

As a Southern Oregon winery, are particularly proud of our historic registry status and continue to protect the integrity of the original buildings.

FAMILY VISION CONTINUES

Despite the challenges of the Great Depression, the Parsons family retained employees and successfully maintained the health of the orchard.

After the passing of Mr. and Mrs. Parsons in 1955, their four children continued to oversee Hillcrest Orchard. Today, operations of the orchard are managed by the fourth generation of the Parsons family.

PRESENT DAY AT HILLCREST ORCHARD

Currently, Hillcrest Orchard, located in Medford, Oregon, spans over 200 acres with 70 acres primarily dedicated to Bordeaux and Rhone-style grapes. These varietals flourish in the shallow clay soils at the base of Roxy Ann Peak, where land conservation has always been a top priority.

The orchard has combined sustainable farming practices with modern production facilities to become a Southern Oregon winery that produces superior wines.

While pear production is managed by Century Farms, LLC, Bartlett, Red Bartlett, D’Anjou, Bosc, and Comice pears are still grown on the property, generally consigned to local packing houses for fresh fruit sales. Some of the Comice pears are sold directly to locals at the RoxyAnn Winery Tasting Room.