Spring Way, Spring Hill Drive, Drew Lane, Old Mill Way, Saratoga Lane

14 Oct Spring Way, Spring Hill Drive, Drew Lane, Old Mill Way, Saratoga Lane

Posted at 14:36h in Creeks, Neighborhoods, Pocket park, Streets, Tree by Peter Finkle 1 Comment

Five streets off Tolman Creek Road
just north of Bellview School.

Hamilton Creek flows by the neighborhood.

47 photos: houses, flowers, creek, & more.

Published in October 2023.

There is a group of six short streets between Tolman Creek Road and Mistletoe Road, just north of Bellview Elementary School. I published a photo essay about Eagle Creek Lane on October 2, 2023, which you can find here. In this photo essay, I’ll take you on a tour of the other five streets: Spring Way, Spring Hill Drive, Drew Lane, Old Mill Way and Saratoga Lane.

Hamilton Creek is a defining natural feature in this neighborhood

Hamilton Creek trees along Spring Way. — **You can see Hamilton Creek trees and big sky views as you walk along Spring Way**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Hamilton Creek crossing, along Spring Way. — **The path from Spring Way to Mistletoe Road takes you across Hamilton Creek. Can you spot the not-so-wild animal, a gray house cat?** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Many years ago, the community of Ashland made a commitment to maintaining creeks in town as riparian areas, wildlife corridors and sites for trails. The Oregon State University Extension Service website says that “Healthy riparian areas can maintain or improve water quality and have both recreational and economic benefits. As flooding or runoff occurs, riparian vegetation reduces water velocity, captures sediment and filters the nutrients and pollutants (pesticides, heavy metal, etc.) that would otherwise run into a water body.”

Hamilton Creek described

I found this description in the Ashland Trails Master Plan of 2006: “Hamilton Creek was probably named for early Ashland-area settler R. J. Hamilton, a Tennessean who farmed along the lower stretches of this stream. The upper portions of Hamilton Creek flow through steep granite terrain. The falls on upper Hamilton Creek are formed by a hard granite ledge. Below the falls, and for some distance above the end of Clay Street, the streambed exposes shale and sandstone of the Hornbrook Formation. The sandstone contains small marine fossil shells from the time when most of southwestern Oregon lay beneath a shallow sea. Some of the Hornbrook deposits have weathered into a reddish (and, when wet, very sticky) clay. In the early twentieth century, a small brick factory located near Hillview Drive mined this clay for making bricks.”

Spring Way runs parallel to Hamilton Creek

Eagle Creek Lane and neighborhood - map — **This map shows the location of all six streets in this small neighborhood.**

Some of the homes on Spring Way overlook Hamilton Creek, as does the small neighborhood pocket park. Houses on this street were built between 1999 and 2005, except for the oldest house at 990 Spring Way from 1975.

Pocket park along Spring Way. — **Pocket park along Spring Way**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Spring Way house overlooking Hamilton Creek. — **This Spring Way house overlooks Hamilton Creek**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Spring Way September sights

St. Francis and his potting soil. — **Because St. Francis was such a lover of nature, it makes sense that he would keep some potting soil handy.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

looking west on Spring Way from Eagle Creek Lane — **Looking west on Spring Way from Eagle Creek Lane.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

yard on on Spring Way. — **I see a nature theme in this yard art.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

subtle gate art on Spring Way. — **I enjoy the subtlety of the art in the setting of this weathered gate and fence.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

attractive house on Spring Way — **I like the simple lines and colors of this house.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

large blooming rose bush on Spring Way — **Beautiful roses abloom in September on Spring Way.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

lush September flowers on Spring Way — **Enjoy the lush September flowers when you walk along Spring Way**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Spring Hill Drive

Spring Hill Drive door and humorous sign. — **Here is the entire door on Spring Hill Drive.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Spring Hill Drive connects Spring Way with Tolman Creek Road. The houses were built in 1998 and 1999.

looking east on Spring Hill Drive from Tolman Creek Road — **Looking east on Spring Hill Drive from Tolman Creek Road**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

**Ranch-style house on Spring Hill Drive.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Painted rocks and colorful flowers on Spring Hill Drive

**Someone in this Spring Hill Drive house likes painted rocks.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

pretty painted rocks. — **Many pretty painted rocks are here**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

painted rocks — **Painted rocks. I have seen many in town with colored dots on the rocks, but never before with the word “vegan.”** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Abelia flowers bush on Spring Hill Drive. — **Abelia flowers have a lush bloom in late September.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

**Abelia flowers in their close-up photo.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Rose of Sharon bush in bloom. — **This Rose of Sharon bush at the corner of Spring Hill Drive and Old Mill Way is in full bloom at the end of September. (**photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Rose of Sharon flowers, close-up photo. — **Rose of Sharon flowers in a close-up photo.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Drew Lane

Drew Lane is tucked away in the middle of the neighborhood, but has a pedestrian path to Tolman Creek Road. Drew Lane houses were built between 2000 and 2003.

**Here is a pedestrian shortcut from Drew Lane to Tolman Creek Road.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

a large house where Drew Lane meets Spring Way. — **A large house where Drew Lane meets Spring Way.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

a large house on Drew Lane — **Drew Lane has some large houses.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Garden details on Drew Lane

Drew Lane gate. — **Rock, wood and greenery make for a beautiful Drew Lane entry gate.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

garden steps on Drew Lane — **You can walk up to this house on the concrete driveway, or take the “scenic route” through the garden.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Drew Lane deer fence. — **Here in Ashland, a vegetable garden requires a deer fence**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

huge cucumbers in raised bed garden on Drew Lane. — **Huge, healthy cucumbers in this raised bed garden. It’s a good thing there is a high deer fence around the garden!** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Old Mill Way

Mistletoe Road buildings across Hamilton Creek, from Old Mill Way — **Mistletoe Road buildings on the other side of Hamilton Creek, seen from Old Mill Way**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Another short street that connects Spring Way with Tolman Creek Road, Old Mill Way was built up between 2005 and 2008. Looking into the history of this neighborhood, I found that the Cotton lumber mill on Mistletoe Road (1940s – 1957) and the Mistletoe lumber mill on Mistletoe Road (1934 – 1963) were both located near Old Mill Way on the other side of Hamilton Creek.

three palm trees in front yard on Old Mill Way — **Three palm trees in one front yard!** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

**This is a modern Craftsman-style house on Old Mill Way.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

**Houses on a flag lot on Old Mill Way.** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

house on Old Mill Way — **Do you see the small “house” next to this Old Mill Way house**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

special house for Darcy's cat named "Bob." — **I was charmed by this home-made house for Darcy’s cat, whose name is “Bob.”** (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Saratoga Lane

There is currently only one house with a Saratoga Lane address, built in 2005. The yard includes a lovely Persian silk tree, also known as a Mimosa tree.

Beyond this one house is mostly vacant land, which may eventually be developed and connect with Old Mill Way and the rest of the small neighborhood.

The 1950 house in the midst of this 3-acre lot, set back past the end of Saratoga Lane, actually has a Tolman Creek Road address.

Saratoga Lane house — **This house on Saratoga Lane was built in 2005**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Persian silk tree or Mimosa tree — **Persian silk tree (also known as a Mimosa tree) at the corner of Saratoga Lane and Tolman Creek Road.** (photo by Peter Finkle)

Persian silk tree or Mimosa tree, close-up. — **Persian silk tree (also known as a Mimosa tree)**. (photo by Peter Finkle)

Saratoga Lane — **Looking east from the end of paved Saratoga lane, this seems to be the oldest house in the neighborhood, built I think in 1950**. (photo by Peter Finkle, 2023)

Quiet but close

This is one of many Ashland neighborhoods that is very quiet, yet also near plenty of hustle and bustle. Children can walk to Bellview School in five minutes. It’s also a short walk to the Tolman Creek shopping center or the YMCA. Cyclists can access the Central Bike Path along the railroad tracks just a couple blocks from their homes.

References

Anon. Ashland Trails Master Plan, Adopted 2/7/2006.

Anon. “An overview of riparian systems and potential problems,” Oregon State University Extension Service website.

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