The Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts is a 501c3 non-profit arts organization. After many years of being dormant, the CCAC has renewed its unique operating permit with the US Forest Service to put arts and culture back on the map here for generations ahead. Our “Art Cabins” serve as connectors of the traditional and modern arts and crafts from May through September. We are seeking good humans who can instruct, volunteer, learn, donate and create. People who can share to keep art alive. We strive to be your mountain hub for creativity and cultural connectivity. Please join us for our comeback!
Hello Arts Community & Supporters,
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Lisa Riversong Franklin, Filipina, Wanapum Cascades tribe and enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. My ancestors and family were born and raised in this region, a place where for thousands of years was one of the most integral cultural and economic communities in North American history. You can say that I’m rooted here with purpose. And I’m a artist, teacher, curator and supporter of the arts here in the Pacific Northwest.
Reflecting on my first year as President, I have much gratitude for our artists and the connections they’ve created within our community. Our non-profit organization’s mission is to be the mountain hub for creativity and we will keep striving for that each day of operations. With just four active volunteers, the CCAC really needs more volunteers and students to keep our operating permit successful. There’s certainly been a miss in both of those areas for several alarming reasons– economic constraints, difficulties in attracting to younger audiences, low volunteerism, lack of grants and funding– but that’s not holding us back as we move forward this Summer 2025 and beyond. In a world that often seems too busy or stressful, our programs offer an escape to the mountain to simply enjoy the forest setting and creative space. Be with us.
Kw’alanuushamatash (Thank You),
Lisa Riversong Franklin
President, CCAC
We recognize and acknowledge the past, present and future cultural history here in the Cascades. You can count on our commitment to the arts and creating safe spaces for all. Our principles will continue to be inclusive, diverse, equal and accessible.
What We Are
Revamped as “Arts Cabins” and makers’ space under a special-use permit with the US Forest Service, the CCAC studios are in operation May through September. At the South Summit Blacksmith Shop location, we now have four double forges for teaching the craft of blacksmithing. Master blacksmith, Darryl Nelson, helped to bring 450 blacksmiths and their families to host the Western States Blacksmithing Conference. Join him and other master blacksmiths to keep blacksmithing and the metal arts alive during CCAC’s Blacksmith Week 2025, August 14-17.
The Raven Studio, our central Glass Arts location, was built in 1960 and originally used as a personal residence for higher ranking Forest Service personnel. It also has main floor space for Jewelry-Arts (non-torch for Summer 2025), Textiles-Fibers Arts, Visual Arts, Writing and other art-specific gatherings. The Trillium Studio serves as an ideal space for printmaking, jewelry making, textiles/fibers arts and other hand crafts. This is the ultimate ‘recycling’ of government buildings for use by the public, to be shared for generations.
Studio spaces include–
4-forge blacksmithing shop (Blacksmith Shop/Summit Compound)
Glass studio (Ravens Cabin)
Metal torching equipment (Trillium Cabin)
Large overhead ventilation system (Ravens Cabin)
1 large kilns (Ravens Cabin)
1 smaller annealing kilns (Ravens Cabin)
Multi-use space for visual/textiles arts (Blacksmith Shop/Summit Compound, Ravens/Trillium Cabins)
Large flat screen for digital instruction (mobile to any cabin)
Where We Are
Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts (CCAC) is a collection of US Forest Service cabins set in the Village of Government Camp, Oregon. A.k.a. “Govy,” is centrally located in the middle of some of the most accessible and beautiful scenery in the Pacific Northwest. The area’s ancestral tribal boundaries include The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs of Oregon.
Timberline Lodge and ski area is just 6-miles up Timberline Road from CCAC’s Ravens studio and Blacksmith shop. This National Landmark Historic Building was constructed in 1937 and remains an everyday working ski lodge where lifts typically run through Labor Day. You’ll find majestic views of the mountain, as well as the celebrated WPA-era arts and crafts of the lodge.
Please note: The CCAC Raven studio, Trillium studio and Blacksmith Shop are not open to the general public, with exception of the Blacksmith Shop during our August Blacksmith Week. Class participants, operations staff and instructors are scheduled on a pre-registration basis. Look for our Open Studio events on the calendar soon where everyone is welcome to experience our humble studio offerings.
Ravens studio “upper cabin” is located at 30700 Rd 530 FS1104, Government Camp, Oregon 97028. Trillium studio “lower cabin” is 30800 Rd 530 FS1071, Government Camp, Oregon 97028. Summit Blacksmith Shop is located on the south side of US-Hwy26 just across from the Government Camp Rest Area near Milepost 54, FS1511 South Summit Compound, Government Camp, Oregon 97028.
Hoodland Shuttle Co. offers transportation throughout the region, including PDX Airport Shuttle, Wine Tours, Scenic Columbia River Gorge and many other scenic options of the mountain area, https://www.hoodlandshuttle.com/
Bus service is available to Government Camp from Portland, Gresham and Sandy, or Hoodland area 7-days a week. http://www.mthoodexpress.com/
How We Are
Many years ago, slightly East of The Village of Government Camp was the site for the Mt. Hood National Forest Summit District Ranger Station, elevation approx 4,000 ft. On a small crest between Still Creek and Camp Creek is the ‘Summit Campus’ located in the Historic Summit Ranger Station– also known as the Summit Compound, and the Summit Guard Station. The site is directly next to the Barlow Road section of The Oregon Trail. The road primarily followed original native trials across the Cascades and was first cleared and used in 1845. A trace of that road is still used as a popular hiking, Mountain biking and cross country ski trail. Forest Service administrative functions located at Summit Meadow were relocated to this area in the 1930’s to be on the Mt. Hood Loop Highway and near the Timberline Road construction in 1930.
Construction began in 1936 and the Mt Hood Forest Supervisor offered the largest residence in the newly constructed Summit Station to Tim Turner, Forest Service supervising architect on the Timberline Lodge project.
