Illinois Valley Airport

Illinois Valley Airport (FAA LID: 3S4) is a county-owned public-use airport located four miles (6.4 km) southwest of the central business district of Cave Junction, a city in Josephine County, Oregon, United States.[1]

For the airport in Illinois, see Illinois Valley Regional Airport.
Illinois Valley Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerJosephine County Airports
LocationCave Junction, Oregon
Elevation AMSL1,394 ft / 425 m
Coordinates42°06′13″N 123°40′57″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 4,807 1,465 Asphalt
Statistics (2004)
Aircraft operations6,000
Based aircraft22
Siskiyou Smokejumper Base
Nearest cityCave Junction, Oregon
Coordinates42°6′16″N 123°40′48″W
Architectural stylemid-20th-century rustic
NRHP reference No.06001035[2] (original)
14000960 (increase)
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 17, 2006
Boundary increaseNovember 24, 2014

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.[3] 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.[4]

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 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.[5] 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.[6]

Facilities and aircraft

Illinois Valley Airport covers an area of 175 acres (71 ha) 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 December 31, 2004, the airport had 6,000 aircraft operations, all of which were general aviation.[1]

The airport has a fixed-base operator, aircraft rentals and instruction, hangar rentals, and a restaurant (closed) and a small campground. All other services are four miles (6 km) north in Cave Junction.[7]

  • Note: as of January 2008 the FBO and restaurant are closed.

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for 3S4 PDF, effective 2007-10-25
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. "Redmond Smokejumper History". Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  4. "Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum". www.siskiyousmokejumpermuseum.org.
  5. Veitch, Jim. "Moon Trees". Smokejumper Magazine. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  6. "Smokejumper Museum | Highway 199". www.highway199.org. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  7. "Points of Interest #1". Cave Junction Chamber of Congress. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
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