Medford was born a railroad town.

In 1883, four local speculators filed the original Medford town plat to convince the Oregon and California Railroad to route a new rail extension through Medford rather than through the established town of Jacksonville. The plat granted much land to the railroad which would bisect the new community.

The speculators succeeded.

By the end of the 19th century, and increasing rapidly in the first decade of the 20th century, Medford became a major shipping point for the agricultural products of the surrounding Bear Creek Valley.

Medford's railroad corridor was initially characterized by wood frame construction, including the first depot as well as the early packing plants and orchard-related warehouses that developed along with the orchard industry. Brick commercial buildings were built facing East Main Street in the 1880s but it was not until 1902 that the first brick structure was built west of the railroad corridor.

The Medford Grocery Company Warehouse is the best surviving example of the brick utilitarian volumes built along the railroad corridor through downtown Medford.

Adapted from the NRHP nomination submitted in 2002.