First Road trip to Fantastic caverns

We wanted to surprise Grandma Leitha for her birthday, so we planned a surprise road trip to the fantastic caverns. We knew she had been wanting to go. It was Grandma Leitha, Uncle Steve, Aunt Dixie, you & me who all went.

Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, Missouri is the only cave in North America to offer a ride-through tour.

The Jeep-drawn trams drive along the path left behind by an ancient underground river.

The cavern has always been privately owned. The temp inside is 60 °F year-round.

Few Facts About the Caverns:

 • The cavern was discovered by John Knox and his hunting dog in 1862. Knox didn't want the cave to be exploited by the Union or Confederate, so he kept the cave's existence quiet until 1867.

• Bat manure was used to make gun powder.
• Knox put an ad in the paper for someone to explore the cave. It was first explored by 12 teen girls. Their names are written on the cave wall.

• It was renamed "Fantastic Caverns" in the 1950s.
• It was the 2nd cave in the country that had light.
• 1930s, during the Great Depression, they grew mushroom gardens in the cave.

• Only 2 places in the world can you experience true & complete darkness, one being at the bottom of the ocean, other being in a cave.
• You would lose your eyesight after 40 days in the dark.
• There are 4 animals that live in the cave. The smallest bat in MO. The crayfish & fish are both blind. You can hold a flashlight to them & see their insides. The salamander is born with sight but goes blind.

• The caverns were used as a speakeasy during the Prohibition & hosted music concerts during the 50s & 60s. The shows were broadcast on KGBX radio in the 70s. Singers like Buck Owens, who was the #1 country singer at the time & it's where the Presley's got their start.

The Stage