George Geil had time in 1910 to carry on a flourishing courtship while paving Ashland鈥檚 streets and plaza.
One afternoon, he took a break from his job paving Main Street to write to his sweetheart, Lorena 鈥淏abe鈥� Mingus.
Addressing Mingus by her nickname, Geil poured out his everlasting devotion, vowing he would do anything to win her love, even saying 鈥渘o鈥� to offers of intoxicating liquor.
He wrote, 鈥淎s I have said before, I would do anything for you Babe.鈥� He noted that he was moving next week to pave East Main Street. Mingus wrote back the next morning, lamenting the day he would finish his job and leave town to find another.
She wrote, 鈥淚 think I鈥檒l get out and be a booster for having more streets paved鈥︹�� She teased that she wouldn鈥檛 be able to watch him when he paved far-away East Main, adding, 鈥渢here is no telling how many girls will be after you.鈥�
In less than a year, the love-struck couple married, having exchanged more than 100 letters. Their grandson, John Waade Geil, donated the letters to the Southern Oregon Historical Society.
Sources: "A Fine Romance - The Love Letters of Lorena and George Geil." Southern Oregon Heritage Today, vol. 1, no. 2, Feb. 1999, p. 5.
