Category: Events

Author Paul Fattig will talk about his latest book, The Mouse That Soared: Tales of Siskiyou Smokejumpers at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum on Thursday, August 18 at 4p. The event is free and open to the public and advance registration is not required.

Paul Fattig, who grew up in Kerby, Oregon, is a retired journalist and now lives in the Applegate. His two previous non-fiction books are: Madstone: The True Tale of World War I Conscientious Objectors Alfred and Charlie Fattig and Their Oregon Wilderness Hideout and Up Sterling Creek Without a Paddle: Confessions of a Recovering Journalist.

Plan to stop in at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum beginning Monday August 15, 2022 to freshen up the grounds and buildings. There’s lots to do so your time and skills are welcome. A special event on Thursday August 18 at 4 p.m. will be historian Paul Fattig, who will talk about his research into the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base and the jumpers who called the base theirs. Call or email Gary Buck to make arrangements for work week.

The annual fundraiser breakfast for Volunteer Firefighters will take place in collaboration with 22 local nonprofits and agencies providing a day of youth activities, aircraft displays, remote control airplane demonstrations, museum tours, and more. Admission to the event is free. Illinois Valley Airport is located four miles south of Cave Junction. Parking will be at Rough & Ready Mill. Bring your families to enjoy breakfast, free ice cream from Schwans, participate in activities, and learn about opportunities for youth to get an airplane ride, participate in local youth sport programs, learn to fly a remote control airplane, and go through the firefighter obstacle course.

Schedule of events:
8:00 Firefighter “All-Day” Breakfast
9:00 Activity Tables Open, Remote Control Airplane Demos
9:15 Flag Ceremony
10:00 Moon Tree Run
10:15 Mercy Helicopter Arrival
1:00 Jaws of Life Demonstration
2:00 End of Event

The Moon Tree Run is a 5 and 10K road and trail race. Information and registration can be found at www.healthyucenter.org.

The Firefighter’s Fair, a festival full of family activities is provided by Volunteer Firefighter Association, Schwans, Golf Club, Camps Custom Excavating, Experimental Aircraft Association, Josephine Community Libraries, American Medical Response, Rusk Ranch Nature Center, Josephine County Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, Little League, Mercy Flight, American Legion, Tanker 61 Memorial, Search and Rescue, Boys and Girls Club, Kerbyville Museum, Garden Club, Rogue Valley Flyers, and many more!

The event is presented by IV Fire District, Healthy U, and the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum. Call (541) 592-4888 for details.

Find more information on Illinois Valley Community Events at ivcalendar.org

What is the Apollo 14 connection?

A firefighter who worked at Siskiyou Smokejumper Base became an astronaut on the Apollo 14 mission to the moon. He took tree seeds to the moon with him and the trees that grew from these seeds became known at “moon trees”. Siskiyou Smokejumper Base at Illinois Valley Airport is the place where the Apollo 14 moon tree story begins.

Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum Work Week

The Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum will have its fifth annual work week from Monday, June 17 to Saturday, June 22, to continue work on restoration of the buildings at the historic base. This is the oldest-standing aerial firefighter base in North America and includes the oldest smokejumper parachute loft. Work hours generally begin around 9:00AM and end around 4:00PM. Volunteers are invited to work one hour or all day. It is a great opportunity to meet smokejumpers who worked at the base and enjoy the atmosphere of this historic site.

The Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum is located on Smokejumper Way at the Illinois Valley Airport about four and a half miles south of Cave Junction.

Most of the project week will focus on shingling the exterior of the historic smokejumper barracks, painting the interior and exterior of other historic buildings, and work to improve the landscaping and grounds of the base.

A new roof will also be installed on the historic administration building and this project has an interesting twist. The current roof was installed about 30 years ago and this was the first roof that Tom Hunnicutt, one of the crew members, worked on. Tom went on to start his own roofing business and installed roofs for the next three decades. He will be returning this project week to install what he claims will be his last roof on the building where he installed his first roof.

The museum also recently obtained a Twin Beech aircraft similar to the one that was used for smokejumping in the 1950s. The plane will be retrofitted to have the same gear and equipment as the planes used for smokejumping operations during that era. The plane will be on display and one of the features that visitors will be able to see when they tour the museum. Work on this project will begin later this summer by museum volunteers. Anyone interested in helping with this project can contact the project coordinator at the number given below.

Volunteers working on the project can camp on the shaded lawn of the base. Showers and restrooms are available in the historic smokejumper bath house. There are also accommodations at local motels.

For more information about the project week, contact Gary Buck at 541 592-2055.