Today I drove into Talent from the south on Hwy 99 for the first time. Most of the businesses from the south end of town to West Valley View were wiped out with a few exceptions. But I was moved by the sight of the Mountain View Estates, a high-end mobile home park for seniors over 55. Of 158 homes only 8 survived. Mountain View has been home to friends of my parents and parents of my friends over the years. It has been sort of the last stop before assisted living for many people.
On the lower end of the income scale was Wagner Creek Estates. This is where my Mom’s housekeeper lived. A good soul who has lived a hard life, Tammy didn’t have much to lose but she lost everything, including her false teeth, and she probably didn’t have insurance.
And across the way was the Oak Valley neighborhood, another 55+ community. I looked at two houses here when I first moved back to Oregon but decided I was not quite ready for senior living. Good thing because it is 100% gone.
