Talent Maker City Rebuilds Community
A community workshop rises from the ashes in Southern Oregon written by James Sinks When the ravenous Almeda wildfire raced up the Rogue Valley in 2020, in its path was the city of Talent, where 6,300 people live between Ashland and Medford. By the time the flames were finally doused, the blaze wiped out some 2,300 homes—with more than 700 of those in Talent—and blackened much of Main Street. Now, half a decade after destruction tore through town, creativity is helping to take its place—and to bring a scarred community together. At a redeveloped site where several downtown buildings were turned to ash, a newly built 8,000-square-foot workshop buzzes with activity and learning. Saws whine in a carpentry shop while wheels spin in a pottery class. A 3D printer farm hums, and screen printing and stained glass-making classes fill the calendar. There’s even a small garden in back where native…
