Redmond Caves
Encyclopedia
The Redmond Caves are a group of five lava tubes in Deschutes County, Oregon
, United States
. The caves are located in the city of Redmond
and are jointly managed by the city and the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM). They are part of the Redmond Caves Park and have been well known locally for many years. The caves are a part of the Horse Lava Tube System
and the farthest northern extent of the system. The lava flow that created both the Horse system and the Redmond Caves continued on into the Redmond Dry Canyon and terminated near Crooked River Ranch
. The caves have a geologic age of about 80,000 years.
, as attested by archaeological artifacts
found therein.
The first known caves of Central Oregon
by Euro-Americans, may have been the Redmond Caves. During the 1870s an old stage road passed by their area. Since their discovery by settlers, various uses have been recommended for the caves. One report mentions the caves were considered for potato storage as early as the 1910s. There was also a proposal from a Madras
resident who wanted to use them for growing mushrooms. On one occasion, the Deschutes Historical Society
was notified about using the site as their museum.
In 1954, the Lions Club
of Redmond opened up an entrance to a previously inaccessible cave. After finally gaining entry into the cave, they discovered footprints of modern shoes in the dusty floor. Later, two boys admitted to squeezing into the cave the night before. The newly opened cave turned out to be the longest on site and Y-shaped. Later, the cave was fully explored by two boys searching for relics. They discovered that the Y-shaped passage was instead a loop.
After the discovery of the new cave, John Berning of the Lions Club, showed a few artifacts to Dick Nooe and Harry Sly (then small boys). The artifacts had come from within the caves. Later, the boys would go back several times to sift through the dirt and pumice and found a wide assortment of ancient artifacts. After the boys were notified that they were violating the Preservation of American Antiquities Act
, they donated their collections to the University of Oregon
.
During the 1960s, the caves were considered as fallout shelter
s by the Office of Civil Defense
. The three largest caves were reviewed and noted to have a capacity up to 450 individuals. In the early 1970s, packets were mailed to residents of Bend
and Redmond showing directions on how to get to their nearest fallout shelter. The caves were to be used in the event of an atomic attack, volcanic eruption, or earthquake.
Since the 1970s, the caves were constantly being proposed as a city park site. Not until the last five years has the site seen progress towards that goal. Before improving the site, archaeological field studies had to examine the caves and their contents. In the meantime, the caves have suffered from recurring vandalism
and defacement
.
participated in the survey and mapping of all five caves on the site. By 2002, the BLM held a cleanup event at the Redmond Caves. Together they extracted 300 tires in addition to a car at the park site. In 2006 the BLM organized another cleanup. It took place on National Public Lands Day
and received help from the Oregon High Desert Grotto and the Willamette Valley Grotto. They removed graffiti and trash, in addition to other projects.
Bat usage of the caves has been documented at various times. It has been suggested that prior to frequent human use, the caves held many bats. On a visit in early 1986 by Mark Perkins, a bat biologist
, however, he reported seeing only one hibernating Big-Eared bat
. During a summer search, Perkins again noted only one Big-Eared bat using the caves as a night roost. During the same survey, Perkins also documented the usage of the caves by two bats previously unknown to have used the caves. They were the Big brown bat
and the Western Small-footed Myotis
; all were male bats. The BLM drafted a Record of Decision on management of various resources. Among the considerations was the restoration of suitable bat habitat in a portion of the Redmond Caves.
On a similar note, one cave adjacent to the Redmond Railroad Cave was known to have been accidentally broken into. During the construction of a parking lot, this cave was breached. The cave was accessible for about 100 feet heading westward. The floor was covered in gypsum deposits. The cave was closed back up during the construction.
Lions Cave was opened up by the Redmond Lions Club in 1954 and named after them by an editor of The Redmond Spokesman
.
The five existing caves today have two sets of names. Numbers have been designated by the BLM, and individual names by the caving clubs
of Oregon.
Deschutes County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Deschutes National Forest * Newberry National Volcanic Monument-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,367 people, 45,595 households, and 31,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 54,583...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The caves are located in the city of Redmond
Redmond, Oregon
Redmond is a city in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated on July 6, 1910, the city is located on the eastern side of Oregon's Cascade Range, in the High Desert, and is considered the geographical heart of Central Oregon...
and are jointly managed by the city and the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
(BLM). They are part of the Redmond Caves Park and have been well known locally for many years. The caves are a part of the Horse Lava Tube System
Horse Lava Tube System
The Horse Lava Tube System is a series of lava tubes within Deschutes County, Oregon, of the United States. The system starts within the Deschutes National Forest on the northern flank of Newberry Volcano and heads north into and near the city of Bend...
and the farthest northern extent of the system. The lava flow that created both the Horse system and the Redmond Caves continued on into the Redmond Dry Canyon and terminated near Crooked River Ranch
Crooked River Ranch, Oregon
Crooked River Ranch is an unincorporated private resort community in southern Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. A small portion of the ranch is also in north Deschutes County. It is located between the Deschutes River and the Crooked River near the south end of Lake Billy Chinook. It is west...
. The caves have a geologic age of about 80,000 years.
History
Many of the caves in the system were known long ago by prehistoric Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, as attested by archaeological artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
found therein.
The first known caves of Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...
by Euro-Americans, may have been the Redmond Caves. During the 1870s an old stage road passed by their area. Since their discovery by settlers, various uses have been recommended for the caves. One report mentions the caves were considered for potato storage as early as the 1910s. There was also a proposal from a Madras
Madras, Oregon
Madras is a city in Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. Originally called The Basin after the circular valley the city is located in, it is unclear as to whether Madras was named in 1903 for the cotton fabric called "Madras" that originated in the Madras area in India, or from the city of...
resident who wanted to use them for growing mushrooms. On one occasion, the Deschutes Historical Society
Des Chutes Historical Museum
The Des Chutes Historical Museum is a museum of local history that is located in the historic Reid School in Bend, Oregon. Opened in 1980 and operated by the Deschutes County Historical Society, the museum's exhibits focus on the area's prehistory, Native American tribes, explorers, pioneers, the...
was notified about using the site as their museum.
In 1954, the Lions Club
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
of Redmond opened up an entrance to a previously inaccessible cave. After finally gaining entry into the cave, they discovered footprints of modern shoes in the dusty floor. Later, two boys admitted to squeezing into the cave the night before. The newly opened cave turned out to be the longest on site and Y-shaped. Later, the cave was fully explored by two boys searching for relics. They discovered that the Y-shaped passage was instead a loop.
After the discovery of the new cave, John Berning of the Lions Club, showed a few artifacts to Dick Nooe and Harry Sly (then small boys). The artifacts had come from within the caves. Later, the boys would go back several times to sift through the dirt and pumice and found a wide assortment of ancient artifacts. After the boys were notified that they were violating the Preservation of American Antiquities Act
Antiquities Act
The Antiquities Act of 1906, officially An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities , is an act passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt on June 8, 1906, giving the President of the United States authority to, by executive order, restrict the use of...
, they donated their collections to the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.
During the 1960s, the caves were considered as fallout shelter
Fallout shelter
A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War....
s by the Office of Civil Defense
Office of Civil Defense
The Office of Civil Defense was an agency of the United States Department of Defense from 1961-64. It replaced the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization. The organization was abolished on July 20, 1979, pursuant to Executive Order 12148. It was a predecessor to the Federal Emergency...
. The three largest caves were reviewed and noted to have a capacity up to 450 individuals. In the early 1970s, packets were mailed to residents of Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
and Redmond showing directions on how to get to their nearest fallout shelter. The caves were to be used in the event of an atomic attack, volcanic eruption, or earthquake.
Since the 1970s, the caves were constantly being proposed as a city park site. Not until the last five years has the site seen progress towards that goal. Before improving the site, archaeological field studies had to examine the caves and their contents. In the meantime, the caves have suffered from recurring vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
and defacement
Defacement (vandalism)
In common usage, to deface something refers to marking or removing the part of an object designed to hold the viewers' attention. Example acts of defacement could include scoring a book cover with a blade, splashing paint over a painting in a gallery, or smashing the nose of a sculpted bust...
.
Conservation
The caves have been the center of cleanups over the years. After repeated vandalism and defacement of the caves, projects were created to help maintain them. In 1997, the Oregon High Desert GrottoOregon High Desert Grotto
The Oregon High Desert Grotto is a caving club, known as a Grotto.OHDG is involved with caving and conservation efforts in central Oregon and beyond, including the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Lava Beds National Monument in northern California, and caves in western Idaho...
participated in the survey and mapping of all five caves on the site. By 2002, the BLM held a cleanup event at the Redmond Caves. Together they extracted 300 tires in addition to a car at the park site. In 2006 the BLM organized another cleanup. It took place on National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day is celebrated annually at public lands in the United States on a Saturday in late September. A signature event of the National Environmental Education Foundation, it promotes both popular enjoyment and volunteer conservation of public lands.Three federal agencies and 700...
and received help from the Oregon High Desert Grotto and the Willamette Valley Grotto. They removed graffiti and trash, in addition to other projects.
Bat usage of the caves has been documented at various times. It has been suggested that prior to frequent human use, the caves held many bats. On a visit in early 1986 by Mark Perkins, a bat biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
, however, he reported seeing only one hibernating Big-Eared bat
Townsend's big-eared bat
Townsend's Big-Eared Bat is a species of vesper bat in the Vespertilionidae family.- Description :The Townsend's Big-Eared Bat is a medium-sized bat with extremely long, flexible ears and small yet noticeable lumps on each side of the snout. Its upperparts are similar to dark brown on the back,...
. During a summer search, Perkins again noted only one Big-Eared bat using the caves as a night roost. During the same survey, Perkins also documented the usage of the caves by two bats previously unknown to have used the caves. They were the Big brown bat
Big brown bat
The Big Brown Bat is larger in size than comparative species of bats, from about 4 to 5 inches in body length, with a 11-13 inch wingspan and weighing 1/2 to 5/8 ounce. The fur is moderately long, and shiny brown...
and the Western Small-footed Myotis
Western Small-footed Myotis
The Western Small-Footed Bat , also known as the Western Small-Footed Myotis, is a species of vesper bat in the Vespertilionidae family.It can be found in Canada, Mexico, and the United States....
; all were male bats. The BLM drafted a Record of Decision on management of various resources. Among the considerations was the restoration of suitable bat habitat in a portion of the Redmond Caves.
The caves
The site currently holds five caves; in the past, however, more caves around the site were known. One cave was known to exist at the site of a former lumber mill nearby. Dick Nooe recalled tunneling westward whereupon he heard a thundering sound overhead. It turned out to be a train on the surface. This cave is known as the Redmond Railroad Cave and was closed up by the lumber mill years later.On a similar note, one cave adjacent to the Redmond Railroad Cave was known to have been accidentally broken into. During the construction of a parking lot, this cave was breached. The cave was accessible for about 100 feet heading westward. The floor was covered in gypsum deposits. The cave was closed back up during the construction.
Lions Cave was opened up by the Redmond Lions Club in 1954 and named after them by an editor of The Redmond Spokesman
The Redmond Spokesman
The Redmond Spokesman is a weekly newspaper published in Redmond, Oregon. The paper serves the city of Redmond and neighboring communities in northern Deschutes County, focusing on local news and events. It has a circulation of about 2,700. The Spokesman was founded in 1910 by Henry H. Palmer...
.
The five existing caves today have two sets of names. Numbers have been designated by the BLM, and individual names by the caving clubs
Grotto (National Speleological Society)
A Grotto is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society . They generally function as the local NSS chapter/club. Many Grottos however, operate in areas outside of their local area, with many operating in several states. Most Grottos also participate in Regions which are loose...
of Oregon.
- Redmond Cave (Redmond Cave no. 1)
- No Account Redmond Cave (Redmond Cave no. 2)
- Cave Next Door (Redmond Cave no. 3)
- Lions Cave (Redmond Cave no. 4)
- Insignificant Redmond Cave (Redmond Cave no. 5)
External links
- Redmond Caves Archaeological Project at the Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land ManagementThe Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
- Redmond Caves access dates at Oregon High Desert GrottoOregon High Desert GrottoThe Oregon High Desert Grotto is a caving club, known as a Grotto.OHDG is involved with caving and conservation efforts in central Oregon and beyond, including the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Lava Beds National Monument in northern California, and caves in western Idaho...