FRIENDS OF THE OREGON CAVES AND CHATEAU

CREATION OF THE HISTORIC FURNISHINGS PLAN (HFP) FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK LODGE (NHL) - THE OREGON CAVES CHATEAU. THE PLAN IS REQUIRED AS A PART OF THE PROPER HISTORIC RESTORATION OF AN NHL. THIS PLAN WILL ASSURE THE DESIGNATION OF AN NHL IS RETAINED, APPRECIATED AND HONORED BY VISITORS. THE PROJECT IS A MULTI-PHASE PLAN, WITH WORK AND FUNDING COMPLETED THROUGH PHASE 1 IN 2020. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THERE WILL BE 4 MORE PHASES OF WORK AND FUNDING NEEDED GOING FORWARD. THE LODGE WAS BUILT IN 1934 BY THE OREGON CAVES COMPANY, A GROUP OF LOCAL INVESTORS. THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDINGS, USING LOCAL MATERIAL IN A RUSTIC FASHION, IS IN KEEPING WITH MOST OF THE OLD LODGES FOUND IN NATIONAL PARKS AND NATIONAL FORESTS. GRANTS PASS CARPENTER AND SELF-TAUGHT ARCHITECT GUST LIUM FOLLOWED SUIT WHEN HE DESIGNED AND BUILT THE CHATEAU. THE ROCKS ARE THE SAME MARBLE AS THAT WHICH COMPRISED THE CAVE AND THE BARK WHICH COVERS THE STRUCTURES IS FROM NATIVE PORT ORFORD CEDAR TREES. THE RUSTIC DESIGN OF THE CAVE'S HISTORIC DISTRICT SET A PRECEDENT WHICH WAS FOLLOWED IN CONSTRUCTING OTHER BUILDINGS IN SEVERAL STATE PARKS AND THE SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST. THE BUILDING'S MASSING, PROPORTION, AND SITING WITHIN THE NATURAL CONTEXT WERE CRITICAL TO THE STYLE, AND THE CHATEAU PROVED TO BE EXEMPLARY IN ALL ASPECTS. AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSTIC STYLE, THE RICHNESS OF TEXTURE IN THE EXTERIOR TREATMENT AND A JUXTAPOSITION OF SHAPES YIELDS A REFINED AESTHETIC THAT IS BOTH DECORATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL. THE STEEPLY PITCHED ROOF, PORT ORFORD CEDAR BARK CLADDING, AND VARIED INTERSECTING ROOF FORMS GIVE THE BUILDING A RUGGED APPEARANCE THAT BLENDS WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS SITE, COMPLEMENTING THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE. THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDING IS ALSO CRITICAL, FOR EVEN THOUGH IT IS A 28,000 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE WITH 25 GUEST ROOMS, ITS LOCATION AT THE HEAD OF THE RAVINE AND ITS SIX STORIES ALLOW IT TO BE LESS INTRUSIVE, AS THE LOWER THREE FLOORS ARE BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE ROAD. VISITORS COME FROM ALL OVER THE US AND MANY FOREIGN COUNTRIES. A GRANT WAS PROVIDED BY THE OREGON CULTURAL TRUST TO HELP FUND THIS PROGRAM.

BALCONY RESTORATION REMOVED IN THE 1950'S, THE CHATEAU'S THREE ORIGINAL BALCONIES OFFERED A WONDERFUL VIEW AND LOVELY SPOT TO DINE AND RELAX. THIS IS A RESTRICTED MATCHING GRANT THE FRIENDS RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF OREGON AND THE CULTURAL ADVOCACY COALITION. IT HAS BEEN RE-GRANTED TO THE OREGON CAVES NATIONAL MONUMENT OPERATIONAL FUND TO MATCH AND GAIN SUPPORT FROM THE NPS CENTENNIAL FUND TO BRING BACK THE STRUCTURE OF THE BALCONIES. THIS FUNDING WILL ONLY REBUILD THE STRUCTURE OF THE BALCONIES AND WE STILL NEED TO RAISE FUNDS TO RESTORE ORIGINAL DETAILS LIKE THE AWNINGS, HISTORICAL DETAILS, AND FURNITURE.