You'll Never Forget Your Trip To Missouri's Only Civil War Cave
By Liz Oliver|Published February 15, 2018
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Liz Oliver
Author
Liz is a Missouri native with a B.A. in English from Mizzou and a M.A. in Non-Profit Administration from Lindenwood University. She works for a STL metro-area community college and enjoys writing, traveling, and indoor cycling. Her true passion is forcing her encyclopedic knowledge of Missouri facts on uninterested strangers from across the globe!
One of Missouri’s better known nicknames is, The Cave State. With thousands of caves beneath our feet and dozens that offer guided tours, it’s hard to keep track of them all! However, there is one special cave that should be on every Missourians bucket list. Known as the Civil War Cave, Smallin Cave, is the perfect destination for history and geology lovers alike!
Smallin Cave, just outside of Springfield, was the first cave documented in the Show Me State. Although, evidence shows that this cave was used by Native Americans for hundreds of years prior to is documented discovery by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft.
During the Civil War, the small community of Ozark found themselves in the thick of the fighting. There is strong evidence supporting the belief that Union troops used the cave to store ammunition and as a place to rest and clean up.
Bristly Cave Crayfish is extremely rare and is only found in caves in 9 Missouri counties. The Smallin Cave population is hearty but because of their limited habitat these creatures are closely monitored and protected.
Today, Smallin Cave is open year round for tours. There are one-hour guided tours that cover the history and geological wonders of the cave. Wild tours are about two hours in length and take visitors off the trails and into the cave waters! Lastly, the popular Civil War Tours are held on Saturdays in October and feature a unique immersive experience.
Beyond just exploring the history and beauty of Smallin Cave there is so much more to enjoy on the property. Warm up this winter or cool down this summer with a trip to Missouri's only Civil War cave!
