Looking for info about the area of Cave Junction, Oregon

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by aslinged

So it sounds like a pretty mixed bag of opinions. Is there any truth to the rumor of a right wing cult leader? How's the meth problem in CJ? Other crime?

I went down there last summer and thought it was amazing country. There was some amount of oddity in the people as compared to a big city, but that doesn't really bother me. I kind of prefer that people are themselves. And the truth is that within the space of five minutes I met super friendly, helpful people and some rougher, silent people. So it seemed impossible to lump everyone into a single sort of category.

What else can the native of CJ tell me? I'd love to hear more about your experiences in the area, especially of late. Is it true that alot of the hippies are moving or dying off? Have you seen any increase in crime or malfeasance due to the recession?

Comments appreciated. As for my brief experience, I thought the area was really nice. But that was as a tourist, though native Oregonian.

There's just so many cults and cult leaders that come and go in Josephine County... It's hard to keep track. Really though, in the 1990s some guy from California convinced his followers that California was going to fall off into the ocean and a couple thousand of them moved to the Grants Pass area. California didn't fall off the continent and he closed his church. He went into hiding and his son went into the real estate business. Go figure. My friend's parents moved up here around then with another cult from Los Angeles. Maybe it was the same one, I'm not sure. I should really find out. And who knows what you'll find out in the CJ area...

It is impossible to lump all Cave Junctionites into a single category, except to say that they're mostly all a little eccentric in one way or another. One pretty much has to be a little eccentric to live in a place like that. Out by Takilma though there are still quite a few hippies, new and old. I've got a friend who lived on a "hippie" commune out near the California border. I'm not sure what the meth deal is out there these days, but crime is pretty much limited to people shooting each other over weird things like shared driveway use arguments and... There are some people with some strange good ol' boy attitudes too. Yeah. I know I'd love to live out there. Beautiful, strange, fascinating place.

[nanannie]

Backdrifter- is that Roy Masters?

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by nanannie

Backdrifter- is that Roy Masters?

Yep, sure is. Roy Masters and his "Foundation for Human Understanding" that was up on Evelyn and is now a theater.

[darkfur93]

I lived in the CJ area for a few years a few years ago, CJ is full of cults and drugs.
People where always trying to brake in houses near us.
If you don't lock your doors at night you will wake up finding people in your house stilling your stuff.

[bobster101]

I lived in Cave Junction for several years and left some years ago. The comments about being eccentric are right on--most people are not interested in fitting in, so they don't try. People often do barely tolerate each other--they tend to associate with fellow members of their own clique--hippies, loggers and rednecks, new age people, refugees from California, etc. Lots of people have some little business they run via the internet or mail order, and many people do much of their shopping via the internet or mail order as well. There are various odd organizations, like Roy Masters Foundation for Human Understanding, the Oregon Institute for Science and Medicine, etc. All kinds of odd things and people exist out there, and depending on which group you run with, that is what your impression of the place will be. If you have a house in a remote area, many people get house sitters if they plan to be gone more than a few days--break ins are common in some areas. There are plenty of drugs--I looked at many houses for sale that had been former drug labs, marijuana grows, etc. To some extent it's the last frontier, people often resent any outside intrusion of any kind into their affairs. Even people who have lived there for many years don't seem to know what is happening with the other cliques that exist even right across the street. But in general, many people aren't all that hard to get along with as long as you give them their space and are friendly yourself, although some people are basically surly and reclusive, and a large number of people won't want to know you unless you belong to their clique (new age, hippie, California refugee, redneck, etc). If anyone is interested in a house there, look very hard at the construction, many houses even now have been built without permits and are poorly constructed. Also be aware that some of the merchants in town can be a bit surly at times, at least when I lived there it seemed that many were poorly suited for dealing with the public (don't take it personally, they seem to be surly with everybody). If you are interested in nature, the mountains, creeks, rivers and so on can't be beat--there are dozens of trails around the valley, many beautiful creeks, etc. Don't expect to find any work in the valley unless you already have something lined up in advance, or you are bringing some sort of skill or business with you. Also keep in mind that it rains a lot in the valley --60-100 inches a year, where in Grants Pass it's more like 35 inches, and Medford, 20 inches. Rainfall in the coastal valleys varies greatly, depending on the mountains, distance from the ocean, altitude, etc. In December-Feb, you wonder if it's ever going to stop raining (at any rate I did). Summers are incredible, no place better to be. I found many of the local service people to be a sorry bunch (the real estate people were awful), but then some merchants were outstanding, just go in with your eyes wide open. If you want to move there, rent for a while and see if it's what you want. The town in some ways does have a strong community spirit, parades, concerts, festivals, etc. It's all a mixed bag, it just depends on whether you can tolerate the drawbacks and find enough things you like. Some people wouldn't live anywhere else, some people live there a little while and run away screaming.