Winston

Dillard is a small community next to the South Umpqua River with less than 400 residents. The area is based around a logging mill, the Dillard Mill, and is home to several trucking and logging companies. “It’s a tiny town with one little convenience store and a post office,” says Emily Volk, a Realtor with Karen Volk Realty, who has been selling homes in the area for over two decades. Not much happens in Dillard, Volk says. There’s not much else here besides businesses, a church and single-family homes. The nearby city of Winston offers more amenities -- people can travel 2 miles across the South Umpqua River Bridge to reach grocery and clothing stores, gas stations, parks, restaurants and bars. Dillard tends to attract veterans and retirees, according to Neil Hummel, Broker/Owner of Neil Co. Real Estate who grew up in the Roseburg area. The community is a part of Douglas County, which has one of the largest veteran populations in Oregon at 10,000. The area’s climate is a big draw for people, Hummel says. “People are attracted to the area because there’s no extreme cold or hot weather,” he says. Oregon 99, also known as Dillard Highway, helps people reach work in Winston. There is no public transportation offered in Dillard. The Roseburg Regional Airport is 11 miles away but doesn't offer domestic or international flights. The Eugune Airport only has domestic flights with seven airlines about an hour and a half away, while the Portland International Airport is roughly 3 hours away. Dillard store and Deli is the only convenience store in town, open daily from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. People visit Grocery Outlet on Douglas Boulevard for larger grocery hauls. The Village Shingletowne Antique is the main shopping destination in Dillard that sells antiques, but people can also head to the Bi-Mart Membership Discount Store. Carlos Restaurante serves Mexican dishes and seafood. Johnny's Drive-In & Diner is a traditional, retro-style spot with classic meals like burgers and fries. They’re also known for their milkshakes and offer dine-in, drive-up and walk-up-window service. Dillard has no parks of its own, but neighbors can enjoy the outdoors in nearby Winston. Winston Dillard County Park has a playground, basketball courts, and a pavilion area for cookouts and picnics. Next door, the Winston Community Center is an event space, often hosting birthday parties and baby showers. People visit Riverbend Park for its skatepark, baseball fields, and playground. Since it’s so close to the river, it’s also a hot spot for fishing and swimming. Potential homebuyers will find bungalows with decent-sized lawns. Properties are typically surrounded by trees and range between $50,000 and $200,000, depending on the number of bedrooms. Daily walks can be a bit difficult since most homes don’t lead to sidewalks. Most homes don’t have driveways either -- instead people make their own lots, where cars are parked next to properties. Children can attend McGovern Elementary School, before advancing to Winston Middle School, which has after school activity nights where students can play games like checkers and UNO. Both schools earn a C-minus from Niche. Kids move on to Douglas High School, which receives a C and offers educational tours throughout the country, where they can do hands-on activities and learn from professionals in their specific subject field. Students are scheduled to visit Scotland and Ireland during the 2024-25 school year. There are no private schools in the area, but there is one church, the Dillard Church of God. With all the open land in Dillard, a couple of vineyards have opened throughout the years, which include Freed Estate Vineyards and Abacela Winery. These family-owned vineyards offer exclusive wine clubs, membership events and public wine tastings. Riverbend Live! is an annual concert series at Riverbend Park that starts on the last Friday in June and lasts six weeks. The park also hosts a Fourth of July festival, and the Winston-Dillard Melon Festival, a three-day event in September that includes a car show, barbecue vendors, mud volleyball, live music and a lot of watermelons. The Douglas County Fair is another popular event that welcomes hundreds of residents yearly.