Cumberland Caverns is a national natural landmark and show cave located in McMinnville, Tennessee. It is the second longest cave in Tennessee and makes the list of longest caves in the United States and in the world.
History
The main entrance was discovered by Aaron Higgenbotham in 1810 while he was surveying the nearby Chickamauga Trail on Cardwell Mountain in what is now Warren County. According to legend, Higgenbotham was the first man to enter the cave and it was named Higgenbotham Cave in his honor. Another smaller cave, also located on Cardwell Mountain, was also discovered about this time and was named Henshaw Cave. Although not nearly as big as Higgenbotham Cave, Henshaw Cave proved to be a source of saltpeter (the main ingredient of gunpowder) and was operated as a saltpeter mine during perhaps both the War of 1812 and the Civil War.
Higgenbotham Cave became a favorite spot for local adventurers during the 19th century and groups would ride out to the entrance in hay wagons and make the strenuous trip to a point in the cave now known as the Ten Acre Room. In the days of the hay wagon parties, it was called the Big Room. Here, many visitors left their names and the date candled on the ceiling.
In the early 1940s, members of the National Speleological Society (NSS) began to explore Higgenbotham Cave. Within a decade, they had greatly increased the known extent of the cave. In 1953 a connection was discovered between Henshaw Cave and Higgenbotham Cave by author/speleologist Tom Barr and local cavers Tank Gorin and Dale Smith. This connection was named the Meatgrinder because of its small size and shape. Soon afterwards Tank, Dale, and a caver from Indiana named Roy Davis leased the cave from its owner, Mr. Andy Powell, and developed it into a commercial cave. The cave opened under the name Cumberland Caverns on July 4, 1956 and has been open to the public since that time.
Cumberland Caverns was surveyed and subsequently mapped from 1970-1978, lengthening the known areas from approximately 6 miles to 27.7 miles. The cavern is divided into areas based on when they were discovered; Henshaw Cave (<1810), Higgenbotham Cave (1810), McCrady Canyon (1945), New Discovery (1940s), Upper Level (1950), Great Extension (1953), Yale Discovery (1960), Waltershires Extension (1971), and Discovery '76 (1976). Sometimes Henshaw and Higgenbotham Caves are combined into one area named the "Historic Section."
In 1981 co-founder Roy Davis went to the Loew's Metropolitan Theatre in Brooklyn to buy a pipe organ while they were renovating, and discovered that they were going to destroy the theatre's chandelier, so Roy bought both the organ and chandelier for $1,000. Both were installed in the Volcano Room later that year, but the pipe organ was removed in 1997 due to it degrading from the humidity in the cave.
A portion of the Trail of Tears passes through Cumberland Caverns property. A walking trail is open to the public.
Commerce
The Cumberland Caverns company offers year-round commercial tours of the cave, claiming it is the largest show cave in Tennessee. Tours include a daytime walking tour, spelunking tours, overnight tours, and educational field trips. Weddings, banquets, and birthday parties are also hosted. Before reaching the cave, tourists pass through a gift shop that sells tour tickets, souvenirs, and novelty items.
Cumberland Caverns currently hosts 8 different tours; 4 Walking Tours and 4 Adventure Tours:
The Cardwell Mountain History Tour is 45 minutes long and showcases the human history of the cave.
The Discovery Walking Tour is 90 minutes long and showcases the natural science of the cave.
The Lanterns & Legends Tour is 90 minutes long and is done entirely under oil lantern light.
The Scholastic Spelunking Tour is restricted to school groups and field trips but similar to the Discovery tour.
The Hall Crawl Adventure Tour is the easiest adventure tour and passes through the Gypsum Crawl.
Higgenbotham's Hollow Adventure Tour begins at the original Higgenbotham Entrance and continues through the Historic Route.
The Crucible Adventure Tour begins at the back of the Ten Acre Room and continues through the McCrady Canyon Area, looping back and ending where it started.
The Guts & Glory Adventure Tour is the most extreme tour and passes through McCrady Canyon, but continues into the Grand Hall and ends at the Mountain Room.