Illinois Valley Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located four miles (6.4 km) southwest of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

Cave Junction Cave Junction is a city in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 1,995. Its motto is the "Gateway to the Oregon Caves", and the city got its name by virtue of its location at the junction of Redwo ...

, a city in

Josephine County Josephine County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 88,090. The county seat is Grants Pass. The county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in ...

, Oregon, United States.

History

The Illinois Valley Airport, also known as the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, or even the Cave Junction Airport, was built by the US Forest Service. It operated from 1943 to 1981 as a smokejumper base, during which time the smokejumpers parachuted on 1445 fires for 5390 fire jumps, or about 142 jumps per year. The Smokejumper Base is currently operating as the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum and free tours of the museum are available daily from March 15 to November 15. Major building restoration projects and ground maintenance have been performed by community members and retired smokejumper volunteers over the course of several years.

Moon Trees

Lunar orbiter commander Stuart Roosa was a firefighter at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base in 1954. In 1971, Roosa took a packet of

Douglas Fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

seeds with him to the moon, and when he returned the Forest Service planted these "Moon Trees" across the US, including two at the Illinois Valley Airport. The smokejumpers cared for these trees, but after their departure, both trees died. The Moon Tree Run (10k) was held annually to honor Roosa's achievement when the site was operating as a fire base. The Moon Tree Run has only recently begun to be held once again thanks to volunteer efforts. The mixed terrain race is similar to the original race course and there is also a 5k race offered.

Facilities and aircraft

Illinois Valley Airport covers an area of which contains one asphalt paved runway (18/36) measuring 4,807 x 75 ft (1,465 x 23 m). For the 12-month period ending May 11, 2021, the airport had 6,000 aircraft operations, all of which were general aviation. The airport has a specialty flight school offering primary flight training specifically for light sport and ultralight airplane and gyroplane. The school known as Captain Drake's Family Aerial Adventures, offers complete training packages including housing for out of town clients. fixed-base operator, aircraft rentals and instruction, hangar rentals, and a small campground. All other services are four miles (6 km) north in Cave Junction.

References

External links

* {{National Register of Historic Places Airports in Josephine County, Oregon Airports established in 1943 National Register of Historic Places in Josephine County, Oregon 1943 establishments in Oregon Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Oregon Transportation buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Oregon