Oregon Caves National Monument
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| Oregon Caves National Monument | |
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| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location | Josephine County, Oregon, USA |
| Nearest city | Cave Junction, OR |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 488 acres (1.97 km²) |
| Established | July 12, 1909 |
| Visitors | 84,465 (in 2004) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
Oregon Caves National Monument is a national monument in the northern Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon in the United States. Known primarily for its marble caves, the 488 acre (1.97 km²) park is located in southeastern Josephine County approximately 30 mi (48 km) south of Grants Pass.
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[edit] Description
In 1874, while a local man named Elijah Davidson was hunting, his dog Bruno chased a bear into a cave. He lasted only several minutes in the cave, with his seven matches. After they all burnt out though, he had to jump down into the chest-high creek and follow it out. It took him seven hours to escape the cave. This discovery became an attraction, and in the 1890s developers opened the caves as a commercial enterprise. In 1909, at the urging of Joaquin Miller and other influential men, President William Howard Taft declared the caves a U.S. National Monument. The Monument was managed by the U.S. Forest Service until August 10, 1933 when jurisdiction was transferred to the National Park Service.
The 3.5 mile (5.6 km) marble cave in the Monument contains one of the largest assemblages of endemic cave dwelling insects in the United States. Recently they have gained notoriety for the Pleistocene jaguar and grizzly bear fossils found in some of the deeper chambers. The National Park Service provides cave tours for a fee (as of April 2007, it was $8.50). Tours last up to 90 minutes, and temperatures inside the caves are 44 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) all year round, regardless of outdoor temperature. Also, you must be taller than 42 inches to attend a cave tour. [2]
Above ground, the monument encompasses a remnant old-growth coniferous forest. It harbors a fantastic array of plants, including a Douglas fir tree with the widest known girth in Oregon at 13 feet in diameter. Four hiking trails access this forest. The park also features a Civilian Conservation Corps-built landscape, as well as a historic lodge known as the Chateau, in which visitors can stay.
The region represents a unique geology composed primarily of bits and pieces of ocean crustal rocks (ophiolite). Some geologic sections are composed entirely of serpentine rock and soils which support many unique plant species. It is this unique soil that makes the northern Siskiyou Mountains well known for their botanical diversity and assemblages of endemic plants.
The climate of the region is strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean which contributes to relatively mild summers and winters as well as 50 inches (1.3 m) of rain per year. The elevation at the Visitor Center is 4,000 feet (1200 m) and resulting in comfortable summer temperatures and snowy winters. The park is situated high in the watershed of the Illinois River, a tributary of the Rogue River that is a major salmon and steelhead spawning waterway.
[edit] Historic buildings
In addition to the caves, the Oregon Caves National Monument is home to several historic buildings. There are four primary historic buildings of interest at the Oregon Caves National Monument: The Oregon Caves Chateau (1934), The Ranger Residence (1936?), The (new) Chalet (1942), and the old employee Dormitory (1927, with major additions in 1940 and 1972).[1] The most noteworthy of these is Oregon Caves Chateau, a historic lodging facility that opened in 1934. It is the location of the guest services at the monument, including a coffee shop, dining, gift shop and overnight lodging. The Chateau is considered one of the best of the classic lodges found in the National Parks. It is in almost original condition, having seen few modifications over the years.
The Chateau was designed and built by Gust Lium (1884-1965), a local contractor. A National Historic Landmark, the Chateau building is architecturally significant due to the construction and design.[2] The Chateau is designed in the rustic style common to many National Parks.
[edit] Gallery
 Miller's Chapel, the site of the biggest stalactites and stalagmites in the cave |
 Banana Grove flowstone |
 HABS description |
 Diagram of caves |
 The Chateau at Oregon Caves |
[edit] References
- ^ [1] Cultural Landscape Report, By Cathy Gilbert and Marsha Tolon, National Park Service.
- ^ Historic American Buildings Survey, Oregon Caves Chateau. HABS No. OR-145, prepared by Stephen R. Mark, Historian, NPS, Aug. 25, 1989.
[edit] External links
- Oregon Caves National Monument — Official U.S. National Park Service Web Site
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