Holland Loop History Tour
The Holland Loop History Tour is a 14-mile, scenic drive that passes several points of historic interest, some of which reach back to Oregon’s first gold discoveries.
The drive follows state Hwy. 46 (Caves Hwy.) and returns you to Cave Junction via Holland Loop. The loop can be made in approximately 30 minutes.
Most features pointed out on the drive are on private land. Please respect privacy and enjoy these historic features from the highway. If you stop, please find a place where you can park your vehicle off the road so that it does not pose a hazard to passing vehicles.
Begin Tour
The tour begins as you turn on to Hwy. 46 from the south end of the city of Cave Junction at Oregon Caves Chevron.
Drive 0.3 of a mile to the first point of interest, Old Stage Road.
Old Stage Road follows closely the route of the historic road between Josephine County and Crescent City, Calif. The road was in use from 1858 to the early 1900s.
Continue 1.9 miles to Glenn Morrison American Legion Hall.
The large cinder block building on the left was originally an ice house and meat locker constructed around 1945.
Continue 1.0 mile to an historic barn.
The old barn on the right was constructed around 1885 and is one of the oldest barns in Josephine County.
Continue 0.6 mile to “White School.” The small white house on the right was once a one-room school constructed around 1910
Continue 2.5 miles. Turn right on Holland Loop. Drive 0.5 mile to the bridge over Sucker Creek.
This stream was given the name “Sucker” because miners who first prospected along side it during the Oregon gold rush of 1851 were from Illinois, and
Illinois is known as the Sucker State.
Continue 1.1 mile to the former Holland School.
The white building on the left is a former one-room school house constructed around 1910.
Continue 0.5 mile to Old Holland Road.
A small piece of the original road is on the left. The road turns sharply right and returns to Holland Loop a short distance ahead.
Continue 0.4 mile to Holland Store, focal point of the Holland community. Turn left on Kendall Road to follow the tour route.
The Holland Store was built in 1935. A hotel was once located to the left of the store.
Continue 0.4 mile on Kendall Road to Althouse (site)
The historic town of Althouse was located in the approximate area of this fork in the road, and served miners working in Althouse Creek where Oregon’s largest gold nugget was found.
Continue straight ahead on Kendall Road for 0.7 mile and bear right at the fork to Foris Vineyards & Winery.
In the 1870s, miners diverted the water in Althouse Creek (on the other side of the hills to the left) through two drainage tunnels each about a half- mile in length. The vineyard and winery sit on the outwash gravel from these tunnels. Foris continues to obtain water from Althouse Creek through the Emerald Tunnel, drilled through the mountain in the early 1870s.
Return to Holland Loop, turn left, and drive 2.0 miles to the next feature, Althouse Church.
The Althouse Church, the oldest church in Illinois Valley, was constructed in 1894.
Continue 1.0 miles. Turn right into Bridgeview Vineyard &Winery.
This vineyard was established in 1980, and at one time included a commercial trout farm that raised approximately 20 tons of fish annually. The cinder block fish runs still can be seen to the right of the ponds.
Return to Holland Loop and turn right. Continue 0.2 mile. Four features will be pointed out in the old town of Bridgeview.
James School: The large building on the left was formerly the James School, a private school for mentally impaired youth. It operated from the 1940s to 1973. Some of the boys lived here most of their lives.
Spence School: Immediately past James School is a driveway leading to a white house some 200 feet from the road on the left. This is the Spence School, a one-room school house constructed in 1912.
State Highway Station: The white building on the left immediately past the Spence School driveway was constructed in the 1930s by the Oregon Highway Road Dept. Road maintenance was dispatched from this facility until the late 1940s.
Illinois Valley Grange Hall: The hall was constructed around 1905. The Grange is an organization with members who are mostly owners of small family farms and ranches.
Continue 0.9 mile. This point is located on the left side at a sharp turn in the road. Be extra vigilant for oncoming traffic as you pull onto the wide turnout to read the sign about this important historic site, Fort Briggs.
The sign provides information about this site. The historic cabin burned in the early 1900s. The present building behind the sign was constructed in 1910.
Continue 0.2 mile and turn right on the gravel driveway to Windridge Vineyard.
The vineyard is growing inside the berm of an oval, half-mile, regulation race track once used to train young horses for races in the Kentucky Derby.
Return to Holland Loop and turn right. Continue 1.0 mile to Hwy. 46 and the tour conclusion.
Turn left and drive 1.6 miles to Illinois Valley Visitor Center for more information on what else to do in the area. At the rear of the parking lot, note the historic concrete foundation once used for the steam boiler at the site of the former Gates Lumber Mill.
Thanks to the following for providing information about this history loop: Ken Phillips, Don Fulk, Jack Heald, Terry Bendack, Ted Gerber, Bob Kerivan.
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