Parachute Loft - Siskiyou Smokejumper Base - Cave Junction, OR - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

Parachute Loft Area
Parachute loft: The largest structure at the base is the parachute loft, which today retains the original shingle siding installed when it was constructed in 1949-50. The original cedar shake roof has been replaced with three-tab composite roofing and the only other visible exterior modifications since its construction is the closure of a window on the south wall and installation of a door on the west wall. The building is set on a concrete foundation about three high, a unique design compared to other parachute lofts constructed around the same time. Two doors access the building from south and west, and two sliding doors about six feet in width provide access to the building from the loading dock on the west wall adjacent to the tarmac. A character-defining feature in the design of the building is the parachute inspection loft. Parachute lofts are commonly constructed with roofs that are high enough for parachutes to be suspended from the ceiling, resulting in the familiar "tower" protruding from the building that is the hallmark profile of smokejumper parachute lofts. The loft at the Siskiyou base is different because the overall profile of the parachute inspection loft as seen from the exterior of the building rises just barely above the rest of the building. Interestingly, to get the additional height necessary for hanging parachutes, the room has an open gabled ceiling and the floor was lowered in this room to make a three foot deep "well". This section of the building also features a distinctively steep roof pitch and on the east elevation the building features an extension of its roofline that shades a series of five six-light casement windows. This extension is supported by a series of four robustly dimensioned braces that spring from concrete columns that protrude from, but are integrated into the concrete foundation. Most of the building's windows are six-light casement windows that are hinged at their base. One disproportional, large window lights each gable end of the parachute loft portion of the building.

All aspects of this building's design reflect the myriad preparations that smokejumpers undertook each time a fire call was received. At the forefront of the smokejumper routine was the need for assuring the immediate and reliable opening of a parachute used by crews that jump from an airplane flying at low elevation. This included areas within the building dedicated to parachute repair, preparation, and storage. The basic requirements for supporting this type of operation includes equipment (sewing machines), storage for fabrics and threads, and an area for record keeping, dispatch, and administration. The building also handled the bundling of supplies to be dropped to fire crews, including fire fighting equipment, radios, water, fuel, and hot meals including homecooked lemon meringue pie! (Clarke 2005). The design of the building is influenced by the need to mitigate hazards faced by smokejumpers. In 1949, work began on the parachute loft, which today is one of Oregon's most uniquely specialized historic buildings.

A nearby interpretive display also highlights the Parachute Loft and tells us:

When the parachute loft was constructed in the late 1940s the building was designed to house some of the most essential parts of the smokejumper operation including an administrative office and dispatch center, parachute repair equipment, and a storage area.

A "ready room" was located near the tarmac door where parachutes prepared for fire jumps and jumpsuits waited on hanger for smokejumpers responding to a fire call.

The life of every crew member depends upon the work done in the parachute loft.

This building is the oldest, standing smokejumper parachute loft in the United States and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.