Tyler James, founder of That Oregon Life
Built in Oregon. Built from the heart.
That Oregon Life is more than a website about places to visit. It is a love letter to Oregon, built from the ground up by people who genuinely care about this state and the communities that make it extraordinary.
A passion project that became a way of life
I am Tyler James, and I started That Oregon Life in 2013 during a difficult and deeply personal chapter of my life.
At the time, I was struggling with depression and searching for something that would help me reconnect with myself. I found that connection outside. Oregon’s forests, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and coastline gave me somewhere to breathe, clear my mind, and begin finding my way forward.
Exploring Oregon became more than recreation. It became part of how I healed.
I began sharing the places I discovered, the photographs I took, and the stories that made me feel more connected to this state. I never imagined those early posts would grow into what That Oregon Life is today. I only knew that Oregon had given me something meaningful, and I wanted to share that feeling with others.
Oregon gave me a place to reconnect with myself. That Oregon Life became my way of sharing that feeling with others.
In 2015, I chose the dream.
I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. I left my job to pursue That Oregon Life full time.
There was no guarantee it would work. There was no road map and no large organization funding the journey. There was only a belief that what I was building mattered, and a growing community that gave me the courage to keep going.
That community has inspired me from the beginning. Our followers have encouraged me, invigorated me, and reminded me again and again why I chose this path.
Oregon is not simply a place. It is a feeling.
It is the silence of an old growth forest, the first glimpse of the ocean after driving through the Coast Range, and the smell of rain returning after a long summer. It is a mountain reflected in a quiet lake, a family owned restaurant along a rural highway, and a familiar town where people still look out for one another.
Oregon is rugged, creative, independent, complicated, beautiful, and wonderfully strange.
That Oregon Life exists to capture all of it.
We share unforgettable places, outdoor adventures, local restaurants, fascinating history, community events, roadside oddities, small towns, local businesses, and the people whose stories deserve to be heard.
We also celebrate Oregon through humor and clearly labeled satire, because laughter has always been part of how our community connects.
Our purpose is not simply to tell people where to go. We want to help people understand why a place matters, who gives it life, and what makes it worth protecting, supporting, and remembering.
Celebrate Oregon honestly, meaningfully, and with heart.
We want to inspire people to step outside, take the scenic road, support a local business, learn something about Oregon’s past, attend a community event, and discover places they may have overlooked.
We believe adventure does not need to be distant or expensive. Sometimes it begins with a short drive, a trail you have never walked, a restaurant you have always passed, or a town you have never taken the time to explore.
Built here. Answerable to our community.
That Oregon Life is independently built and independently run.
We are not funded by the State of Oregon or by a government tourism agency. We are not here to present Oregon as a polished tourism brochure. We are here because we love this place.
We love the beautiful parts, the strange parts, the rainy parts, the forgotten parts, and the fiercely proud spirit that makes Oregon unlike anywhere else.
Our independence allows us to remain personal. It allows us to follow the stories that interest us, shine a light on places that may otherwise be overlooked, support businesses we genuinely believe in, and speak directly to the community that has grown around us.
Everything That Oregon Life has become was built one photograph, one story, one road trip, one relationship, and one reader at a time.
Some days, it still does not feel real.
There are moments when I step back and try to understand how far That Oregon Life has come. Honestly, it still feels surreal.
What began as one person sharing photographs and stories has grown into a powerful independent Oregon community with a reach I never could have imagined.
That Oregon Life has helped families discover new places to explore. It has introduced readers to restaurants and small businesses that became new favorites. It has encouraged people to spend more time outside, learn about Oregon history, attend local events, and see familiar places through a different lens.
It has also reached former Oregonians who now live far from home but still carry this place with them.
I never imagined this passion project would one day work alongside the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I never imagined our brand would be carried by Made In Oregon, or that we would build a meaningful partnership with Scout Northwest.
Yet somehow, through years of persistence and the support of this community, we arrived here.
Working alongside an organization that has inspired generations of Oregonians is both meaningful and humbling.
Our partnership connects us with more people who share our passion for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Seeing our brand carried by a company that has celebrated Oregon products and traditions for generations is deeply surreal.
These are only a few of the relationships that have helped us grow.
We have had the privilege of working with countless businesses, artists, photographers, restaurants, event organizers, attractions, and community organizations across the state. Some are widely recognized. Others are small operations built by families and individuals who have poured everything they have into their work.
Every partnership has become part of our story. We are grateful to every organization that has trusted us to help share theirs.
Real events. Real conversations. Real community.
Some of our most memorable experiences have come from participating in events that bring Oregonians together. These gatherings allow us to step out from behind the screen and become part of the communities we write about.
Music, community, and the spirit of an Oregon summer coming together in Sweet Home.
A celebration of coastal flavor, local makers, and one of Oregon’s most beloved communities.
A chance to connect with the chefs, businesses, and visitors who celebrate Oregon food and drink.
Oregon artists, makers, families, and people who believe in supporting something made with heart.
Countless gatherings where a shared love for Oregon becomes something you can see and feel.
The stories you tell us face to face remain among the most meaningful parts of this journey.
My partner in crime
While I may have started That Oregon Life, I did not build what it has become alone.
Danielle is my partner in crime, my closest companion on this journey, and an essential part of the heart behind That Oregon Life. She has brought her support, creativity, perspective, and shared love for Oregon to everything we do.
Her passion for Oregon history has also become an incredible story of its own.
Years ago, Danielle made it a personal goal to find and photograph as many of Oregon’s historic and abandoned schoolhouses as she could.
What began with curiosity about a few forgotten buildings grew into thousands of miles traveled across the state, countless hours of research, and a remarkable effort to document pieces of Oregon history before they disappeared forever.
Some of these schoolhouses remain standing in wheat fields, forests, and forgotten corners of rural Oregon. Others have been restored and given new lives. Many have been lost to time, weather, neglect, and fire.
Through her photography, Danielle has helped preserve their stories and remind people that even the quietest places can hold generations of memories.
Her dedication eventually led to her being featured on television in an episode of OPB’s Oregon Field Guide.
Watching her work receive that kind of recognition was an incredibly proud and surreal moment. It represented so much of what That Oregon Life has always been about: following a passion, taking the road less traveled, preserving Oregon’s history, and sharing meaningful stories that might otherwise be forgotten.
Danielle’s journey is also a reminder that this project has never been only about destinations. It is about curiosity. It is about paying attention. It is about recognizing the beauty, history, and humanity in places that others may pass without noticing.
Together, Danielle and I have invested countless hours into creating something that feels genuine and worthy of the community surrounding it. We have explored Oregon’s backroads, attended events, photographed unforgettable places, shared stories, met incredible people, and continued building this dream one experience at a time.
You gave this dream its purpose.
Our contributors, photographers, creative partners, local businesses, and readers have all helped shape That Oregon Life. But more than anything, it is our followers who have given this project its life.
You have encouraged me when I was exhausted. You have challenged me to improve. You have shared your memories, photographs, favorite places, family traditions, restaurant recommendations, and personal stories with us.
Your messages have arrived at moments when I needed to be reminded why I started. This community has continually renewed my passion and invigorated me to keep going.
Every time you read an article, share a story, visit a featured business, attend an event, purchase something from our shop, or send a kind message, you become part of what makes That Oregon Life possible.
Danielle may be my partner in crime, but all of you are part of this journey with us.
A piece of Oregon you can carry with you
Our Oregon inspired apparel, prints, hats, hoodies, and annual calendars are another expression of our love for this state.
Many of our products feature Oregon landscapes and photography created by talented local artists. They are made for lifelong Oregonians, new residents, travelers who left part of their hearts here, and anyone who feels something stir inside them when they see the forests, mountains, high desert, rivers, and wild coastline of Oregon.
For us, these products are not simply merchandise. They are reminders of home, adventure, memory, and belonging.
There are still so many stories to tell.
Even after everything That Oregon Life has become, I still feel connected to the reason it began.
I still believe getting outside can change the direction of a day and sometimes the direction of a life. I still believe local stories matter. I still believe a small business can become part of a family’s tradition. I still believe history deserves to be remembered, laughter can bring people together, and Oregon will always have something new to teach us.
We will continue celebrating Oregon’s natural beauty, supporting local communities, sharing meaningful experiences, preserving memories, uncovering history, and finding reasons to laugh along the way.
I never imagined That Oregon Life would grow this large or touch so many lives. The truth is that it has changed my life too.
Oregon gave me a place to reconnect with myself. That Oregon Life became my way of sharing that feeling with others. You turned it into a community.
Thank you for believing in this dream. Thank you for giving it purpose. Thank you for being part of That Oregon Life.
With deepest gratitude and Oregon pride,
Tyler James
Danielle Denham
And the That Oregon Life team