Alert
The library will be closed Sun, March 31 for Easter.

Your digital library is always open to check out ebooks, movies, music and magazines. Learn More

Close Alert
Skip Navigation
 
staircase[1] staircase[1]

Smallin Civil War Cave

staircaseWhat is the attraction of caves? No two are ever the same, each cave is uniquely formed by the forces of nature.  I love the sense of timelessness I feel when I'm there.  Caves have existed for millions of years and they're still forming and changing.  Then there's the beauty of the geological formations, the stalactites and stalagmites, flowstones, draperies and others.  Caves are one of the few opportunities on earth for explorers to go where no man has gone before.
mo_caves2One of Missouri's nicknames is the Cave State. More than 6,000 caves have been discovered so far and experts suspect there are many more that haven't been found yet.  The Ozark Uplift or Ozark Plateau is the largest extensively elevated landmass in the US between the Appalachians and the Rockies and one of the finest cave regions.  While some of it lies beneath Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas, the vast majority is in Missouri.
SCvisitorcenterThe Smallin Civil War Cave is owned by Kevin and Wanetta Bright. I was intrigued to find out that they had purchased it in 2009, after looking for a cave to buy for several years. I guess I never thought of buying a cave just like you would a house. As to how much one pays for a cave, Kevin's standard reply is “everything we had.” While the property was already outfitted as a tourist attraction, they still had to do a lot of work to get it ready to open. But their philosophy is that it's not a possession, but a wonder of nature that's entrusted to their care. It's also available for weddings!

The cave has a huge ten-story opening and goes back a quarter of a mile until it becomes too small for the average cave tourist to traverse (one would need a helmet with a light on it and no claustrophobia.) The paved walkway is large and even enough for a wheelchair. Usually there's a fast moving stream flowing through it, but one the day we were there it was barely a trickle because of the lack of rain. So we were able to see some of the formations that are normally under water.

50a7f3cca64d3.imageAs fascinating as the geological formations is the history. There's evidence of chert mining by the Indians for making arrowheads. There’s also evidence that the cave was used by vigilante Baldknobbers group and Civil War soldiers. On a large flowstone formation called the Indian Ladder, ancient petroglyphs were found as well as more recent graffiti from the 1800's. In the early 1900's folks used to gather there on Sunday afternoons for picnics in the cool interior. The Brights have done a thorough job of researching the history, including collecting stories from the area's oldest living residents.

Both my daughter and I were well-satisfied with the time we spent there and we highly recommend it. I even bought a couple of books that Kevin and Wanetta had written. As it's about a four-hour drive one way from Topeka, it may be a little far for a day trip, but if you're staying in the area, check it out!

Here are some titles to get you inspired and your library also has free Missouri Visitor Guides.

 
Back to Top