1954 Map of Cave Junction

About this map

The Illinois River valley serves as the central corridor for this mid-1950s survey of Southern Oregon, where the Redwood Highway links a series of small settlements and mining sites. To the north, Kerby and Cave Junction act as primary hubs, while the southern reaches near the California border reveal a landscape defined by hydraulic mining history and remote mountain outposts. The map documents the persistent footprint of early mineral extraction at the Esterly Mine and the Waldo townsite, as well as the Ramsey Mine tucked into the deep drainages of the Siskiyou National Forest. Unusual local landmarks such as a Drive-in Theater and a Landing Strip appear alongside older features like the Laurel Cemetery and the settlement at Takilma. The terrain is characterized by named gulches and ridges, including Buckhorn Ridge and numerous numeric labels such as Number Seven and Number Eight Gulch, marking the specific geography of this timber and mineral-rich region.