GRAVETTE — Reading a recent article about the Spanish Treasure Cave made me think about my "caving" experiences.
Ozarks are noted for bluffs, a wonder for cave enthusiasts. A breathtaking trip west and north of Noel, a town little changed from the ‘50s, reveals majestic bluffs along Elk River. That’s one of Missouri’s most popular waterways for boaters to take float trips down river, probably because of the majestic scenery.
When we moved to Arkansas in the ‘40s, my family played in our band for some event at Lanagan, Mo. Afterward we were given a free tour of Truitt’s Cave, my first exciting glimpse of stalactites and stalagmites, which form dripping mineral water. I still recall the coolness inside of the yawning cavern on that hot summer afternoon.
A few years later we toured Civil War Cave just west of Bentonville. Walking down what seemed to be hundreds of rock steps, we entered a great indoor canyon. Here, we were told, supplies had been hidden deep below ground during the Civil War.
My tour of caves soon included Bluff Dwellers Cave. That was probably the most elegant of all, with its sawtooth drapes, soda straws, flowstone, cave coral, sponges, lily pads, popcorn and rimstone dams that formed still pools of water. Ozark hills are full of limestone, the stone in which caves are formed.
"It was in such an outcrop that Bluff Dweller’s Cave was found and explored in 1925," the cavebrochure reads. "As the opening was enlarged, there were beds of ash as well as human bones and arrowheads." Some of those artifacts are on display at the cave’s entrance. Last summer we took our grandson through that cave. It had not changed in the past 70 years, andhe was as fascinated with it as I had been when I was about his age.
Not the largest or finest, but certainly the most mysterious, is Old Spanish Treasure Cave. After moving to Gravette, I often walked down the long hill to enjoy this site with other kids. Its history includes the following: "Fascinating legend has it that treasure was buried here by Spanish soldiers over 260 years ago. Several past owners, as well as others, have searched for the cache of gold believed hidden here. Because of so much exploration, mine tracks were run into the cave to haul out dirt and debris.It’s had several owners and was once known as Black Bear Cave. Gem-stone panning and other treasure hunting is allowed here." My husband remembers discovering a hole above the cave when he was a boy. He’d often crawl down that hole with his friends for a day of exploring. One day the owner brought a tour through. Spying Jerry and his friends, he cautioned them to hide until the group of tourists had passed through.
Wonderland Cave at Bella Vista, now closed, once had a dance floor at the popular tourist town.Years ago a salesman let me peek inside, and I saw a bar standing on a beautiful hardwood floor. Keeping the place free of humidity proved to be a major problem, and the cave has been closed for years..
A few years ago, during a day at Silver Dollar City at Branson, I took my first trip into its Marvelous Cave. I don’t know why I hadn’t visited this site before; it was certainly worth exploring. Of course, each cave has its unique history which is shown at gift shops and in brochures.
If you haven’t explored any of these caves, I recommend it. It’s really worth it.
Marie Putman is a former Gravette resident and regular contributor to the Westside Eagle Observer.
News, Pages 7 on 04/11/2012