1859 Magazine

1859 Magazine

Ultralight backpacker Glen Van Peski shares lessons on purposeful living in take less. do more.
Bibliophile, Live Oregon, Notebook

Glen Van Peski on Living With Less and Finding More

Trail-tested insights reveal how carrying less can create freedom and fulfillment interview by Cathy Carroll Engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and longtime ultralight backpacker Glen Van Peski of Bend believes the best way to move forward in life is by carrying less. In his award-winning book take less. do more.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker, Van Peski explores how subtracting rather than adding can lead to greater freedom, purpose and joy. Drawing from decades of outdoor adventures and personal experiences, he shares lessons on generosity, gratitude, curiosity and resilience—from investing creatively in relationships to reframing life’s setbacks and learning to embrace failure as part of growth. Through a philosophy rooted in simplicity and service, Van Peski encourages readers to live within their means, deepen connections and create more meaningful lives. He founded Gossamer Gear, a company dedicated to ultralight backpacking equipment in 1998, after he’d…

Vintage gramophone with a large horn, placed on a wooden table with a floral tablecloth, in a room with floral wallpaper and framed artwork.
Explore Oregon, Travel Spotlight

Explore Pendleton’s Underground History

Discover the sultry past of Pendleton through its underground history written by Joni Kabana | photography by Travel Pendleton In the town of Pendleton, history presents itself as you walk alongside old buildings, peruse the interiors of shops and read heritage signage. But did you know remnants of the region’s history are also found underground? The Pendleton Underground offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into a wilder chapter of the American West where legends and stories shaped one of Oregon’s most colorful frontier towns. At street level, downtown Pendleton is charming with brick storefronts and western heritage historical elements with the hum of a modern rural community. But descend a staircase into the Pendleton Underground, and suddenly the atmosphere shifts. Dimly lit tunnels and preserved passageways reveal how early Pendleton operated after dark in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Pendleton was a bustling railroad and wool hub in its boom…

Cozy living room with a vibrant rainbow painted on the wall, a light blue sofa, decorative pillows, a side table with a lamp, and a black cat sleeping.
DIY, Home + Design, Live Oregon

How to Paint a Rainbow Accent Wall

written by Melissa Dalton | illustration by Yu Kito Lee Add a punch of color and whimsy to your home decor by designing your own rainbow mural. ➊ PICK THE PALETTE Choose your favorite rainbow hues, using the acronym ROYGBIV. It stands for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. To do this, go to the paint section or store, and gather color cards from the same brand, with one for each color in the ROYGBIV spectrum. Select the hues that are on the same row of the color cards, i.e. each color is the first or second one down from the top. That way, they will all have the same intensity. ➋ GATHER TOOLS This project can be completed using sample pots of wall paint. Matte or flat sheens will hide wall imperfections. For the paintbrush, we recommend our all-time favorite: the Wooster Shortcut. It’s 2 inches wide,…

Colorful roasted carrots on a black plate with a creamy sauce, garnished with herbs and spices, served on a wooden board.
Food+Drink, Live Oregon, Oregon Home Grown Chef, Recipes

Grilled Oregon Carrots with Labneh

written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane I was a younger man when I stood near the edge of the green in downtown Ashland, feeling entirely invisible in the best possible way. In a place like Ashland, everyone is watching someone else portray somebody, and so this 20-something without an agenda could simply be—undisturbed. Two actors sat face-to-face beneath a string of hanging bulbs, rehearsing scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the complete seriousness required for a comedy that questions whether human dignity is more than just a romantic illusion. Between them sat a dented tin bowl—the kind you find at the back of any honest Oregon kitchen—overflowing with carrots fresh from someone’s garden, and two mason jars of water catching the last amber light of evening. Unflinching, the thespians, while reciting lines, bit into carrots and drank water, resulting in a comedic shower of masticated vegetables….

Two people riding mountain bikes through grassy open fields in Oregon, wearing helmets and casual clothing, enjoying outdoor adventure.
Explore Oregon, Trip Planners

Explore Hermiston and Oregon’s Rugged Country

From mountain biking to watermelon to vistas, discover sweetness and adventure in Oregon’s rugged country written by James Sinks Come summer, it’s good to keep two important things in mind about Hermiston, the agricultural and industrial hub that’s grown into Eastern Oregon’s largest city. First, there’s much more to the up-and-coming burb and the surrounding area than mouthwatering local watermelons. Dubbed Oregon’s “Rugged Country,” it’s a wide-open playground that many passersby miss en route to crowds elsewhere. Their loss. From fishing the Columbia to plying dusty biking trails to sampling street tacos to exploring farms and wineries along historical byways, you can easily fill a weekend and then some. And the second thing: Still get a watermelon (or two). Climate and soil conditions are near perfect for the juicy, messy, flavorful fruit—and that’s helped put Hermiston on the national map. The deliciousness is feted at two local summer festivals, and…

Scuba diver exploring vibrant coral reef with colorful marine life and diverse coral formations underwater.
Explore Oregon, Northwest Destination

Best Scuba Diving Near Seattle in Edmonds Underwater Park

A city park in the artsy Seattle suburb is one of the Northwest’s premier underwater attractions written by James Sinks In a very cool way, it’s a skate park. And also a crab park, an anemone park and a cod park. In the 1970s, a 27-acre property just offshore in the Seattle suburb of Edmonds was designated as a conservation area—and then became a city park for those brave enough for the Puget Sound’s chill. More than a half century later, the submerged playground now attracts some 25,000 scuba divers and snorkelers annually—making it one of the most-visited dive spots in the Pacific Northwest—and helps the public appreciate the importance, beauty and fragility of the ocean. Because marine life and birds are protected, you can’t fish, crab, kayak or bring dogs onto adjacent sand, so the place teems with colorful plants and animals starting at the water’s edge. Beneath the…

Colorful backyard oasis with seating area, fire pit, and lush greenery, perfect for relaxing and outdoor gatherings.
DIY, Home + Design, Live Oregon

How to Create a Backyard Oasis

A mind and body retreat inspired by culture and travel written by Jean Chen Smith | illustrations by Kate Wong As travel increasingly blends with wellness and design, more people are looking to recreate that sense of escape at home—especially during the summer months, when longer days and warm weather make outdoor living more inviting. Rooted in the connection between mind and body, and enriched by cultural influences from destinations around the world, this guide draws on global spa traditions and nature-forward design to shape a more intentional outdoor experience. Build the Foundation: Mind and Body Every retreat begins with a sense of grounding. Start by carving out a dedicated space for movement and still-ness—whether that is morning stretching, Pilates flows orevening meditation. All-weather outdoor yoga mats provide a stable base, while Snow Peak’s Lounge Cushion invites slower moments of pause. Together, these elements create a zone that supports both…

A historic brick building in Dayton, Oregon, with large windows and a tree-lined sidewalk, under a clear blue sky.
Explore Oregon, Lodging

The Inn at Dayton: Oregon Wine Country Stay

written by Lauren Kramer | photography by The Inn at Dayton It takes a special kind of magic to transform three seriously dilapidated, adjacent buildings from 1911, 1913 and 1913 respectively into a stylish boutique hotel. That was the task architect Paul Falsetto faced as he designed the elegant Inn at Dayton, which opened in June 2025. The project required blending the Bank of Dayton, the Stuckey Building and the Harris Building, and Falsetto seamlessly merged them into a polished, twelve-room inn spread over 20,000 square feet. Guests can choose between upscale legacy rooms or heritage (standard) rooms, but its worth the splurge at this inn. The legacy rooms feature 20-foot ceilings, dual-sided electric fireplaces separating the sleeping quarters from the living rooms, and deca-dently comfortable furniture adorned with soft throws and high thread count linens. Perfect for a romantic retreat or a weekend of wine tasting with friends, the…

Person browsing books in a large, well-stocked library aisle, highlighting Oregon's rich literary culture.
Featured

Oregon’s Iconic Literary Destinations

Getaways where books & place meet written by Jean Chen Smith Oregon’s landscapes have long served as both muse and setting for generations of writers, shaping stories that range from children’s classics and counterculture novels to modern memoirs of wilderness, identity and selfdiscovery. From the misty Pacific coastline and working river towns to the high desert and dense evergreen forests, the state’s geography has a way of imprinting itself onto the literary imagination. Across Oregon, readers can still trace these narratives in real time, visiting the streets of Portland neighborhoods that inspired beloved children’s books, the Columbia River towns that anchor early American history and the rugged coastal stretches that echo themes of isolation, resilience and reinvention. In many cases, the line between fiction and place feels intentionally permeable, as if the stories were never meant to be confined to the page alone. For travelers and readers, the experience becomes…