Elijah Davidson ‘speaks’ through Siewert of NPS
From our weekly issue dated June 24, 2009
Elijah Davidson (Photo provided by National Park Service)
On Friday, June 19, the 135th anniversary of Elijah Davidson discovering what would become Oregon Caves National Monument was re-enacted near the site.
National Park Service Ranger Tom Siewert told the story at Oregon Caves Chateau to commemorate the discovery. Most people who tour the Oregon Caves know little about the hunter who discovered them, although legends abound.
Siewert, dressed and acting as Davidson, spoke about how he came to Oregon from Illinois with his family on the Oregon Trail. He told of farms his grandfather started in Portland, Provolt and Monmouth. Grandpa decided that Portland never would amount to anything, so he moved the family ever southward. They settled in the Josephine County community of Williams in 1866.
Siewert is an expert on Davidson’s life as a hunter, gold miner and family man. The dramatized story, much of it told in the words of Davidson, vividly brought the historical character to life for the audience.
Elijah Davidson was a top-notch hunter. He was so adept at bagging bear, cougar, deer and coyote for bounty, and to feed his family, that the State of Oregon awarded him a lifetime hunting license.
In November 1874, Davidson was with a hunting party in the Siskiyou Mountains some 22 miles east of what would become the city of Cave Junction. Away from the party with his faithful Airedale, Bruno, and his long rifle, he had shot a deer. Suddenly, Bruno took off after another critter and followed it into a cave, which had a stream inside.
Davidson could hear Bruno as he entered the cave to save his favorite dog. He tried to light his way with matches, but used up his supply. In the total darkness, he found Bruno and they followed the gurgling stream out. Davidson took the deer carcass and placed it outside the cave as bear bait.
Back at the hunting camp he told about the bear and the cave. The other hunters disbelieved his tale. The next morning, Davidson and a friend went to the cave and saw a black bear, sated and sleepy beside his deer meal. Davidson shot the bear and they took it back to camp. He was able to feed his family well on deer and bear meat that winter.
Advertisement:
Davidson’s wife, Minerva, was expert at canning produce grown on their farm. “Her pickled green beans were the best you ever tasted,” quoted Siewert. They lived close to the land, a quiet family. The cave was forgotten.
Various promoters tried to mine the Caves area or turn it into a resort between 1877 and 1900. These ventures failed. In 1906, the Davidsons went to Nome, Alaska to mine for gold. Their daughter did better than her father by working in a bakery. Miners would spend their gold on baked goods and look at the pretty girl.
The family returned to Southwestern Oregon in 1909.
Meanwhile, poet and essayist Joaquin Miller and friends explored the caves and were outraged at damage caused by careless explorers. They publicized the “Marble Halls” of the caves to the public and President Taft. In July 1909, a 480-acre Oregon Caves National Monument was dedicated.
Not until 1914 did Elijah Davidson tour the entire labyrinth for the first time. He was as amazed by what he saw then, as visitors are today. Davidson’s long rifle and images of him are displayed in the Chateau lobby with other artifacts.
Besides regular tours, candlelight tours of the Caves sometimes are offered, and park rangers can tell more about the Caves and Davidson. For information about tours and events, phone (541) 592-2100 or visit www.nps.gov/orca.
Advertisement:
