Illinois Valley news., May 21, 2008, Page 46, Image 46

2009 will mark the 100th anniversary of Oregon
Caves National Monument, and the 75th anniversary for
the Chateau at Oregon Caves. Built in 1934, the Chateau
at Oregon Caves was designed to take advantage of its
unique location adjacent to Oregon’s only active lime-
stone cave formation. The lodge is nestled within a
wooded canyon straddling Caves Creek, which flows
through the chateau’s dining room. The great structure
was built using native materials, from timber cut on site
and hewn at Grayback Mill, to the marble quarried
nearby. Even the original shaggy Port Orford cedar siding
remains intact after 75 years.
The lodge is built so stoutly and with such integrity
that after a devastating flood in 1964, which poured water
and debris through the lower floors, the building was
pulled intact back onto its foundations, restored and re-
opened.
While the original dining room furnishings were lost
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Southwestern Oregon’s Illinois Valley
downstream, the chateau still is home to an outstanding
collection of Monterey furniture – perhaps the largest
remaining collection in the United States. The lobby and
many of the guest rooms contain these handmade pieces,
dating from the California Spanish Revival period.
This splendid lodge was placed on the National Reg-
ister of Historic Places in 1987. The chateau sits within
the 480-acre Oregon Caves National Monument, which
has been among Oregon’s most popular attractions since
the early days of its development. Thousands would visit
yearly, even when the trip was made on horse back, and
the accommodations were little more than cabins.
Preserving the historic building and its contents, as
well as promoting the caves to visitors, is a priority for
the Illinois Valley community. The district is a commu-
nity asset and a regional jewel; a relic of the great lodge-
building period of American history, the chateau is a
never-to-be-recreated marvel of ingenuity in homage to
its environment.
In early 2008, the nonprofit Friends of the Oregon
Caves & Chateau came together with the mission of re-
storing the chateau’s interior, preserving the Monterey
furniture and raising some $1 million toward the protec-
tion and conservation of this treasure. With a significant
demonstration of community and regional support, sev-
eral million dollars in National Park Service funding for
restoration of the structure will be made available.
Located just 20 miles east of Cave Junction, the Ore-
gon Caves & Chateau is the perfect place for a quiet get-
away. Cave tours, hiking trails, fine dining and comfort-
able 1930s era accommodations await. Learn more about
the Friends of Oregon Caves & Chateau or make reserva-
tions online at www.ivcdo.projecta.com.