Illinois Valley news., May 27, 2009, Page 48, Image 48

ON HISTORY’S TRAIL: Camp Oregon Caves
Continued from page 27
recreation hall. Motion pictures
were shown one night a week; edu-
cational and recreational activities
were scheduled on other evenings.
The history of Camp Oregon
Caves followed in the footsteps of
the CCC program nationally with
each camp being large enough to
support a “company,” a crew of 200
individuals. During the nine years
the camp was in operation, four
companies, all of which were from
out of the area, occupied this site.
The first group in the camp was a
crew from Nebraska who spent the
winter of 1933-1934 setting up the
initial structures at the base.
The following year, Company
1634 from Illinois, occupied the
camp and remained there until fall
1936. They were replaced by Com-
pany 3873, a crew from Texas that
remained for one year before being
replaced by Company 5483 com-
posed of members from Georgia,
North Carolina, Alabama, and Ten-
nessee.
All these crews were stationed
at Camp Oregon Caves during the
winter months and moved to a
camp at Crater Lake National Park
to work on projects during the sum-
mer.
After the camp closed in 1942
the structures at the base were
slowly scavenged, mostly out of
need for building materials dur-
ing World War II. The buildings
may be gone from Camp Oregon
Caves, but the crews who
worked at this camp have left a
reminder about the CCC era in
the rockwork and trails we will
enjoy during the centennial cele-
bration of Oregon Caves Na-
tional Monument.
If you would like to visit the
historic Oregon Caves CCC
camp, drive approximately 11.5
miles out of Cave Junction on
Hwy. 46 and look on the left for
the cabin-like Cedar Guard Sta-
tion just before the Grayback
Creek bridge. The site of Camp
Oregon Caves was located be-
hind this building.
If you want to see more of
Camp Oregon Caves, you can
follow the loop trail behind the
site. The trail is about a mile in
length and more of a stroll than
a hike. It follows Grayback Creek
and meanders through the forest
and around the meadow used
by CCC crews for recreational
activities.
The Cedar Guard Station is a
designated historic site and was
constructed around 1936 by CCC
crews. It is classified as being a Cas-
cadian Cedar design and is one of
GREAT PRICES!
Open 7 days, 9 am - 6 pm
18435 Redwood Hwy.
Selma, Oregon
541-597-4300
34
Southwestern Oregon’s Illinois Valley
Stones & Fossils
Beads
Crystals
Jewelry
Kaleidoscopes
Books & Music
Large Selection
of Unique Gifts
Hike loops around historic camp
six such buildings surviving in
western Oregon.
~ Roger Brandt