Has City Evolved Past Its Caveman? -- Grants Pass Debates 18-Foot Figure's Effect On Image, Tradition

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Standing guard at the entrance to this southern Oregon city is an 18-foot behemoth that some people would just as soon forget - the Caveman Statue.

Although most agree he isn't pretty, he is part of a tradition that dates back to 1922, when local business owners formed the Oregon Cavemen club to promote the Oregon Caves National Monument and everything else the area has to offer.

"A lot of us posed for it," said Hank Geiske, 64, one of the six remaining active club members.

The sculpture was made at International Fiberglass Co. in Venice, Calif., in 1971 for about $10,000.

Hauled from Los Angeles by truck, the statue received a lot of stares as Geiske and pals erected the hulking Neandertal. He was dedicated by then Oregon Sen. Eugene "Debbs" Potts on Memorial Day weekend.

There the brute stands to this day, like it or not.

He stands as a reminder to the Cavemen, billed as the "world's most unique booster club." Renowned for their antics, members dressed in animal skins and carried clubs, making surprise appearances when officials or celebrities came to Grants Pass.

Shirley Temple and presidential candidate Thomas Dewey were both ambushed by the Cavemen. President Kennedy, his wife, Jacqueline, and brother Robert have also been greeted by the burly boosters.

As late as 1977, Ronald Reagan was made an honorary member of the Cavemen.

In its heyday, the group marched in 100 parades a year throughout the West, promoting Grants Pass. But as time has marched on, interest in the group has waned.

Furthermore, the statue seems to be trying to hide.

The Caveman used to greet all travelers as they entered the city from the north Interstate 5 ramp. But now, five evergreens hide him from the front. In the summer, deciduous trees obscure him almost completely.

"There are some people who believe it gives us a Neanderthal image," said Dwight Ellis, executive director of the Grants Pass and Josephine County Chamber of Commerce. "They would rather hide it or move it to some other location."

Ellis' feelings are different, however.

"I like it," he said. "It gets people to come and take pictures. It's good for Grants Pass."

Among the naysayers, Gary Dalrymple said it was time for the statue to go.

"It's an ugly Neandertal," he said. "It's antique and too old, and it does not go with our down-home image. But you can't take it away from the old-timers. It's a touchy subject."

Among the people who like the big guy, Dewey Counts said the towering knuckle dragger is not getting his due.

"You can't really see him anymore," Counts said. "The trees should be cleared out so people can see it."

Some suggest moving the statue to Grants Pass High School, where Cavemen sports continue to rule the day. School officials are cool to the idea.

"It was not made for the high-school campus, to my knowledge," said Kerm Bennett, Grants Pass School District superintendent. "The new campus is not designed to accommodate a statue of that size."

Bernard Conrad, a local sculptor, said the city obviously has not come to grips with its conflicted relationship with the Caveman.

"I just think it is interesting that it is being relegated off to a little grove of trees," he said. "We're not throwing it away, and we're not keeping him - just throwing him in the closet, so to speak."