Cave Junction, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cave Junction, Oregon
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Entering town from the North
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| Motto(s):
Gateway to the Oregon Caves
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Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Josephine |
| Incorporated | 1948 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.81 sq mi (4.70 km2) |
| • Land | 1.81 sq mi (4.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,575 ft (480 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,071 |
| • Density | 1,144.83/sq mi (442.13/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (Pacific) |
| ZIP codes |
97523, 97531
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| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-11850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1139474 |
| Website | www.cavejunctionoregon.us |
Cave Junction is a small city in Josephine County, Oregon, USA. In 2020, about 2,071 people lived there. Its nickname is the "Gateway to the Oregon Caves". The city got its name because it's located where two main roads meet: Redwood Highway and Caves Highway.
Cave Junction is in the Illinois Valley. In the 1850s, people here made money from gold mining. After World War II, timber (wood from trees) became the main way people earned a living. Now that timber jobs have decreased, Cave Junction is focusing on tourism and welcoming people who are retired. Visitors come to see the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, the Oregon Caves Chateau, the Out 'N' About treehouse resort, and the Great Cats World Park zoo.
Contents
Exploring Cave Junction's Past
For thousands of years, the Takelma Native American people lived in the Illinois Valley. Their way of life changed a lot when gold was found in the early 1850s. This led to conflicts called the Rogue River Wars. After a treaty in 1853, most Takelmas lived on the Table Rock Reservation. In 1856, after the wars, they were moved to the Grand Ronde Reservation and the Siletz Reservation.
Gold Discoveries in the Valley
The first gold in Oregon was found in the Illinois Valley. The largest gold nugget ever found in Oregon (weighing about 17 pounds) was also discovered here. In 1904, over 50 years after people started looking for gold, an 18-year-old named Ray Briggs made an amazing discovery. While hunting, he found gold lying on the ground. He named his claim the "Wounded Buck Mine," which produced a lot of gold.
How the Oregon Caves Were Found
As gold mining slowed down in the 1860s and 1870s, people in the Illinois Valley started doing other things. They began ranching, fishing, logging, and agriculture. In 1874, Elijah Davidson found a cave while hunting. He is now known for discovering the Oregon Caves.
Later, in 1884, Walter C. Burch heard about the cave. He set up a camp at the cave's entrance. He and his family charged one dollar for a guided tour. They even advertised that their tours included camping and "medicinal" cave waters.
From Cave City to Cave Junction
President William Howard Taft made the Oregon Caves a National Monument on July 12, 1909. The U.S. Forest Service managed it. In 1923, a group of businessmen built a hotel and offered guide services at the monument. By 1926, there was a beautiful chalet and cabins.
More and more people visited the caves. This led to a community growing where the Redwood Highway met the road to the caves. This place was first called Cave City in 1926. In 1935, they wanted a post office, but the name "Caves City" was not approved. One of the suggested names was "Cave Junction," which was chosen in 1936. The area officially became the city of Cave Junction in 1948. It is the only incorporated city in the Illinois Valley.
City Growth Over the Years
In 1950, Cave Junction had 283 people. The city grew quickly in the 1960s and 1970s. Growth slowed down in the 1980s and 1990s. By 2020, the population reached 2,071 people.
Facing Forest Fires
Over the years, several wildfires have threatened Cave Junction.
- In 1987, the Longwood Fire caused many people to leave their homes.
- In 2002, the Florence and Sour Biscuit fires joined to create the huge Biscuit Fire. This fire burned a large area in southern Oregon and northern California. It destroyed some homes near Cave Junction.
- In 2020, the Slater fire moved quickly towards the Illinois Valley. Firefighters and community members worked together to stop it from spreading further into the town.
Where is Cave Junction?
Cave Junction is located on U.S. Route 199 where it meets Oregon Route 46. It is about 30 miles southwest of Grants Pass, Oregon. It is also about 53 miles northeast of Crescent City, California. The city sits in the Illinois Valley, on the side of the Siskiyou Range. It is about 1,575 feet above sea level. The city covers about 1.82 square miles of land and a very small amount of water.
What's the Weather Like?
Cave Junction has a Mediterranean climate. This means summers have cool mornings and hot afternoons. Winters are chilly and rainy.
The average low temperature in January is about 32.5°F. The average high in July is about 94.2°F. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 114°F in August 2008. The coldest was -6°F in December 1972.
On average, Cave Junction gets about 196 sunny days and 108 days with rain each year. The city receives about 61 inches of rain annually. Snowfall averages about 7.1 inches per year.
| Climate data for Cave Junction, Oregon | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
76 (24) |
82 (28) |
98 (37) |
108 (42) |
109 (43) |
112 (44) |
114 (46) |
110 (43) |
100 (38) |
78 (26) |
69 (21) |
114 (46) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48.6 (9.2) |
53.6 (12.0) |
59.7 (15.4) |
66.6 (19.2) |
75.2 (24.0) |
83.5 (28.6) |
94.2 (34.6) |
93.8 (34.3) |
87.1 (30.6) |
71.9 (22.2) |
55.7 (13.2) |
47.1 (8.4) |
69.8 (21.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31.9 (−0.1) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
33.4 (0.8) |
36.7 (2.6) |
41.7 (5.4) |
46.5 (8.1) |
51.9 (11.1) |
49.4 (9.7) |
44.3 (6.8) |
38.8 (3.8) |
34.8 (1.6) |
32.2 (0.1) |
39.4 (4.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 10 (−12) |
−4 (−20) |
15 (−9) |
21 (−6) |
25 (−4) |
28 (−2) |
36 (2) |
34 (1) |
25 (−4) |
12 (−11) |
9 (−13) |
−6 (−21) |
−6 (−21) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 11.36 (289) |
8.47 (215) |
8.58 (218) |
4.11 (104) |
2.09 (53) |
0.82 (21) |
0.25 (6.4) |
0.28 (7.1) |
0.83 (21) |
3.49 (89) |
7.96 (202) |
12.95 (329) |
61.19 (1,554) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.1 (5.3) |
1.2 (3.0) |
1.5 (3.8) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
1.9 (4.8) |
7.1 (18) |
| Average precipitation days | 15 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 110 |
Who Lives in Cave Junction?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 283 | — | |
| 1960 | 248 | −12.4% | |
| 1970 | 415 | 67.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,023 | 146.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,126 | 10.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,360 | 20.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,883 | 38.5% | |
| 2020 | 2,071 | 10.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 1,883 people living in Cave Junction. The city had 815 households. Most residents (90.3%) were White. About 8.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was 43 years old. About 23.7% of residents were under 18.
How Does Cave Junction Make Money?
In the early 1850s, gold mining was the main way people earned money in the Illinois Valley. As gold mining decreased, the economy changed. People started ranching, fishing, logging, tourism, and agriculture. After World War II, timber became very important. There were once 30 lumber mills in the valley, but by the late 1980s, only one remained.
Because much of the land is managed by the government (like the U.S. Forest Service), the county gets money from timber sales and other payments. These payments are a big part of the county's budget.
With less money from timber, Southern Oregon has focused on tourism to help its economy. This has brought small businesses and retirees to the area. While new jobs have been created, they often don't pay very much. Today, the main industries are tourism, timber, and agriculture. Since the 1960s, the community has also become known for wine, retirement, and small businesses.
The Illinois Valley Community Development Organization (IVCDO) works to improve the local economy. In 2006, Cave Junction received an award for its efforts to reduce poverty. The IVCDO also partnered with the National Park Service to help manage the Oregon Caves Chateau. This project uses local food and wine, and the money goes back into the community. However, the Oregon Caves Chateau has been closed since 2018.
Fun Things to Do in Cave Junction
Cave Junction has many interesting places to visit. These include a museum, a zoo, and a resort with treehouses. There are also historic sites, many related to gold mining, and a state park and national monument.
Discovering the Oregon Caves
Cave Junction's main attraction is the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. This area has 4,554 acres of hiking trails and amazing caverns. The limestone caves were found in 1874 by a hunter and his dog. At the caves, you can see a 23-room chateau that was built in 1932.
Art and Community Events
Each month (except in winter), Cave Junction hosts an ArtWalk. Local businesses show different kinds of art, like pottery, iron art, music, and even fire dancing. This event helps the community and brings in more visitors. Many local artists, including students, participate.
Treehouse Adventures
About 10 miles southeast of Cave Junction, in Takilma, Oregon, you can find the Out'n'About Treehouse Treesort. This unique resort has many treehouses built by Michael Garnier. He invented a special bolt that helps support the treehouses safely. As of 2007, the treesort had nine treehouses, some with bathrooms.
Wild Animals and Local Flavors
Great Cats World Park is located a few miles south of Cave Junction. In 2007, it had 32 cats from 17 different species. These included cougars, leopards, jaguars, lions, and even Siberian tiger cubs!
Other fun places include the It's a Burl handcrafted wood gallery and the Kerbyville Museum in Kerby. Cave Junction also has the Wild River Brewery, which started as a pizza deli in 1975 and added a microbrewery in 1989.
Wine Country
The Illinois Valley is a great place for growing grapes and making wine. It's known for its cool, wet climate compared to other wine regions. The valley has dry, warm summers and cold nights, which are perfect for growing pinot noir grapes. Several vineyards and wineries are near Cave Junction.
Bridgeview Vineyards is one of Oregon's largest wineries. It's famous for its chardonnay, pinot gris, and pinot noir wines. Foris Vineyards Winery is also in the Cave Junction area.
Historic Places to See
Cave Junction has many historic sites from its early gold mining days. These include old mines and ditches. The Osgood Ditch in Takilma brought water to mining operations. Miners used water pressure to find gold in gravel beds.
One important historic building is the Oregon Caves Chateau, which is a National Historic Landmark. Another old building is the AltHouse Church, built in 1893. It was moved in the late 1890s and is still used today as Bridgeview Community Church.
Sports and Outdoor Fun
Cave Junction offers a golf course and a state park. The Illinois Valley Golf Course has 9 holes. The Illinois River Forks State Park is where the east and west forks of the Illinois River meet. The park has picnic tables and rare plants. A new disc golf course was built there in 2014. There is also a skate park at Jubilee Park in Cave Junction, built by volunteers.
Local News and Radio
Cave Junction has a local newspaper called the Illinois Valley News. It has been published since 1937. The city also has a community radio station, KXCJ-LP (FM 105.7), which started broadcasting in 2016.
Learning in Cave Junction
Cave Junction has four schools: Illinois Valley High School, Kalmiopsis Community Arts High School, Lorna Byrne Middle School, and Evergreen Elementary School. These schools are part of the Three Rivers School District.
Some people connected to Illinois Valley High School have been recognized for their achievements. In 2004, Sam Hutchins was honored for creating the Oregon Stewardship Program. This program teaches high school students about wild steelhead fish in the Illinois River. In 2007, IVHS wrestling coach Ursal "Jay" Miller was inducted into the Oregon Chapter of The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.
Getting Around Cave Junction
The Illinois Valley Airport, also known as the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, was built by the U.S. Forest Service. From 1943 to 1981, it was a base for smokejumpers, who parachute into wildfires to fight them. Today, the airport offers aircraft rentals and has a restaurant.
Famous People from the Area
Several notable people have lived in or visited the Cave Junction area.
- Actor John Wayne enjoyed visiting a ranch in Selma, Oregon, near Cave Junction. He liked the area after filming Rooster Cogburn along the Rogue River.
- Kristy Lee Cook, a contestant on American Idol, grew up in Selma.
- Arthur B. Robinson leads the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which is near Cave Junction. He also represents the city in Oregon's State Senate.
Images for kids
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The Oregon Caves Chateau
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Inside the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve.
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A white tiger and its handler at Great Cats World Park.
See also
In Spanish: Cave Junction para niños
