Chateau to mark 75th with summer of events
From our weekly issue dated February 25, 2009
This year represents a series of milestones for the state of Oregon, Oregon Caves National Monument and its historic Chateau. As such, a series of events are being planned in celebration.
Those plans were among topics discussed during a meeting of the Illinois Valley Community Development Organization (IVCDO) Board of Directors at Illinois Valley Visitor Center in Cave Junction on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Oregon’s 150th anniversary is this year. It also marks the 100-year anniversary of President William Howard Taft’s dedication of the Caves monument and the 75th anniversary marking completion of the Chateau’s construction. The site is some 22 miles east of Cave Junction, which long has used a slogan, “Gateway to the Oregon Caves.”
Special commemorative events will kick off on May 8 and 9, as the “Classics at the Chateau” opening event will feature guitar soloist David Rogers. May 9 will mark Oregon Caves Community Day, when free tours will be offered to valley residents.
May 15 is the anniversary of when a group of Grants Pass businessmen completed the Chateau.
“At this point, we’re working on getting it to be a ceremony that’s based on what was done at the grand opening of the Chateau when it was completed in 1934,” said Emilie Young, Chateau marketing coordinator.
Young said that Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce is planning a mixer and open house for that evening.
The week of June 15 through 20 will be Elijah Davidson Week, in honor of the man said to be the first to discover the cave.
“We will be honoring Elijah Davidson through plays, stories and re-enactments,” Young said. “Also, the Davidson Family will be camping and having a family reunion in the area.”
On June 20 and 21, there will be a live demonstration of mule- and horse-pack trains.
“Going back in history, that’s what the transportation was really like,” Young said. “For 48 years, there was no road to the caves and between 1874 and 1922, everything came in on horses and mules.”
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The 100-year anniversary of Oregon Caves National Monument will be celebrated on July 12. On July 17 and 18, there will be a 12-mile commemorative hike and horseback ride from Williams to the cave. Young said that some work still needs to be accomplished between now and then in order for the hike to be plausible.
“They still have to connect some of the trails,” she said. “Some aren’t travelable at this point by horse or foot.”
Sept. 11 and 12 will feature a “Classics at the Chateau” series performance by guitar soloist Alan Matthews. Oktoberfest is on tap for Sept. 26 with “beer and a special kind of Bavarian menu,” Young said.
Argentine tango lessons will be given during the weekend of Oct. 9 and 10.
For more information, visit the special events page at oregoncaveschateau.com.
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