As timber income has since declined, the city is attempting to compensate with tourism and branding itself as a haven for retirees.

[6] Their culture was destroyed when gold was discovered in the early 1850s, causing the subsequent Rogue River Wars.

He staked a claim and called it the "Wounded Buck Mine," which produced 1,777 ounces (50.4 kg) of gold.

[8] As gold mining in the Illinois Valley became exhausted in the 1860s and 1870s, the residents diversified into ranching, fishing, logging, tourism, and agriculture.

[6] President William Howard Taft established the 480-acre (190 ha) Oregon Caves National Monument on July 12, 1909, to be administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

The city population's primary growth period occurred in the 1970s, with an average annual increase of 9.9 percent.

This fire threatened Cave Junction, Kerby, Selma and a number of Northern California communities.

[14] Ultimately, the Biscuit Fire lasted 120 days, burned 499,965 acres (202,329 ha) in southern Oregon and northern California, and destroyed four homes and nine outbuildings in the Cave Junction area.

[16] In 2004, a downed power line caused a fire that briefly threatened over 100 homes and forced 200 people to evacuate.

Wildland firefighters, experienced community members, and the inversion layer created by the intensity of smoke stopped the fire from moving much further.

The city lies in the Illinois Valley, on the northwest slope of the Siskiyou Range, at an elevation of about 480 metres (1,570 ft) above MSL.

[18] Cave Junction has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) with summers featuring cool mornings and hot afternoons, and chilly, rainy winters.

As of 2007, Josephine County Sheriff volunteers staff a sub station in Cave Junction, and the Sheriff's Office has plans to begin a pilot program in the City Hall building, staffed by volunteers, that will include three temporary holding cells and the ability to take incident reports.

In the years after World War II, timber became an increasingly large part of the county's finances.

[32] In November 2007, Rough & Ready completed a $6 million biomass plant to replace their existing wood-fired boiler, as market forces have increased demand for dry timber.

In 2004, the IVCDO began a partnership with the National Park Service that resulted in the assumption of 40 seasonal and year-around jobs managing the Oregon Caves Chateau.

[34][35] Cave Junction has a number of points of interest, including a museum, a zoo, and a resort consisting of treehouses.

It also has a number of historic sites, many related to gold mining, as well as an Oregon state park and a national monument and preserve, all located in the greater Cave Junction area.

Located at the end of a 20-mile (32 km) "stomach churning" drive along State Route 46, there are limestone caves discovered in 1874 by a hunter and his dog.

According to surveys conducted in 2006 by the Arts Council of Southern Oregon, the city sees a 30–50 percent increase in sales and visitors during the event.

[41][42] Garnier had to fight local government ordinances for almost ten years before gaining the right to house guests in his nine treehouses.

[50] In the late 1960s and early 1970s a new group of Oregonians started experimenting with growing grapes and making wine.

[56] Its 85-acre (34 ha) estate in the Illinois Valley is planted in the European style of dense 6-foot (1.8 m) row and 4-foot (1.2 m) vine spacing.

[59] The historic Osgood Ditch in Takilma provided water for early mining operations in the Illinois Valley.

Between 1895–99 the church was moved down to its present site on Holland Loop Road where it has served the community till this day.

[68] Two individuals linked to Illinois Valley High School (IVHS) have been inducted into regional halls of fame.

In 2004, Sam Hutchins became a member of the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame for creating the non-profit Oregon Stewardship Program.

Actor John Wayne was a visitor to a ranch in Selma, Oregon, about 10 miles (16 km) north of town.

[72] Kristy Lee Cook, who was a contestant on American Idol 7, was also raised in Selma, where she used to live before joining the competition.

[73] Arthur B. Robinson is the head of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which is about 7 miles (11 km) from Cave Junction.