Ashland is a city in Jackson County, in the State of Oregon. It lies along Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley. As of 2015, the city's population was approaching 21,000.The city is the home of Southern Oregon University and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. These are important to Ashland's economy, which also depends on restaurants, galleries, and retail stores that cater to tourists. Lithia Park along Ashland Creek, historic buildings, and a paved intercity bike trail provide additional visitor attractions.Ashland, originally called Ashland Mills, was named after Ashland County, Ohio, the original home of founder Abel Helman, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other founders had family connections. Ashland has a mayor-council government assisted by citizen committees. Historically, its liberal politics have differed, often sharply, with much of the rest of southwest Oregon.