Looking for info about the area of Cave Junction, Oregon (Bend: crimes, house)

[Frzzlmom]

My husband and I are researching property in Cave Junction area....any info will be helpful...Public transportation any ground water issues...Good Karaoke bars...senior activities for mom...pics of Cave Junction...etc...

[westvillemama]

There is absolutely no public transportation in CJ. It's a fairly isolated and economically depressed rural community. The highway which runs through town (scenic route 101) is a main route from Grants Pass to California, but not much happens around town. AFA karaoke bars, none that I know of, although there are bars. No senior activities either. There is one state cop which serves the entire southern Josephine County, according to my grandparents, so property and nuiscance crimes are pretty much ignored.

There's a good sized population of hippes, as well as hardcore conservative libertarians about. A quaint, quiet, pristine little country town it is not. Poverty is quite high, boredom amongst the youth is also quite high. My grandpa rides his little golf cart into town every day to have coffee with the other old guys at a diner, but that's all he's got to do for social activities. There just aren't any resources. The high school's funding gets cut year after year, there's not really anything in the way of activity centers or community programs or community service. It's a great place to move if you don't mind driving 25 miles to Grants Pass for work every day?? The area is dry and prone to fires. Many backwards people. Progressive people too, but not much to do, like I said. Sorry.

[monty0410]

This may seem worthless because I've never been there and haven't even looked it up on the map. HOWEVER, I do know that every single plant I buy here in Central Oregon - no matter what nursery I go to - comes from Cave Junction - so it must truly be a growers heaven (unlike Bend). Good luck with your search!

[backdrifter]

Westvillemama pretty much said it great. Concerning the "backwards" people in the Illinois Valley... I'm a Grants Pass native and my friends from the area and myself always say that no one will believe us when we tell them about the people in Cave Junction (or up north in Wolf Creek for that matter). You just have to see to believe! It's kind of endearing to us though, but I'm sure those not native to the area might find it less endearing and slightly more...scary?

Originally Posted by monty0410

HOWEVER, I do know that every single plant I buy here in Central Oregon - no matter what nursery I go to - comes from Cave Junction - so it must truly be a growers heaven (unlike Bend). Good luck with your search!

And yes, it is a grower's heaven for marijuana dealers. Prime country for that actually.

[westvillemama]

And yes, it is a grower's heaven for marijuana dealers. Prime country for that actually.

Whooo, yeah! Forgot to mention that little tidbit of info!

Think of lower Josephine County as Oregon's "little Humboldt" but without the colleges or community programs. There's the Takilma Commune, the Oregon Caves, and actual wineries (!!!) but not much else in the way of cultural activities. Some seriously strange folks live in those parts (hey, I used to be one of them!) and some of them are not terribly fond of others. There's a friendly (???) vibe of sorts but it's really a "must see to be believed" sort of thing, not something that can be explained. Thus all the quotation marks and parenthesis in this post, lol. You have your rumors of reclusive millionaires, you have your mudbogging rednecks, you have your growers and smokers, your meth heads, your hippies and ultra-conservatives, all barely tolerating each other on their weekly trips "to town" and then you have the bored youth hanging around Dairy Queen or the Forks, in their rusty muscle cars and muddy pickups, because there's pretty much nothing else to do. It's.... an odd place. Major understatment there, btw. It's special to me because I spent so much of my childhood in the area, but it's definitely not to many people's taste!

[backdrifter]

Mama--I'm glad we're speaking the same language here! I actually have to 'fess up that I love the area. It's strange to me that it can attract such a sideshow of people though. The most extreme examples of weirdness and the bizarre in the world from all walks of life somehow all managed to end up in Josephine County. It never ceases to amaze me how that happens. I really have to wonder sometimes... That's Oregon's diversity for you: People living on a pagan commune on land adjacent to a reclusive former right wing cult leader.

[CalOrGal]

Nice hearing how others see CJ and that part of the Rogue Valley. I moved from GP 2 years ago to Missouri and miss it terribley. GP is turning into a mini So Calif and we thougth about moving to CJ but went to Missouri instead. Wish we would have gone to CJ...LOL...although there really isnt anything out there.

[Vegemm]

You all make me laugh. I am from Cave Junction, and yes, alot what was said is so very true. But you will never find a better place to live. We lived on the river and one year there was a warning of flooding. We had many many people calling and coming by to let us know if we wanted to move our things out of the house they would help. As for nothing to do...Oh please. Fishing ...swimming...hiking...gardening....you are only as boarded as you allow yourself to be. It is a wonderful place to live.

[westvillemama]

Well of course! The OP referenced specifically "senior activities" and "karaoke" as options, so I am guessing here but I imagined someone whose idea of fun was more expansive than just going outside and digging in the dirt or catching fish. Of course there are plenty of outdoor activities that one can do on one's own. A person can go outside to play anywhere, providing they have the mobility and health to do so. What I assumed the OP meant was entertainment venues and activity centers, of which there really aren't many, if any at all in CJ. Things may have changed in the five years since I've been around though!

There is a Lion's Club still, I think?

[Bmav]

I move to Selma (10 miles before CJ from Grants Pass) in 3 weeks.
I'm looking forward to my son going to a school where there isn't a gang problem, and there isn't major traffic jams every....single....day.....
Time for some quiet.

B