Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave is the largest 3-level cave in the Midwest. It is located seven miles south of I-94, between Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Use exits 19, 24, or 28 south to Highway 29. The cave is one mile west of Spring Valley. Hours: Memorial Day to Labor day, daily 9:00-6:00; April-May and September-October, weekends 9:00-5:00. Guided tours are offered every 30 minutes; group tours by reservation. More Information
The following is abstracted from the Official Souvenir Book of Crystal Cave, Spring Valley, Wisconsin:
The initial exploration of the cave took place the next day when William and his younger brother, George, descended into the dark vertical entrance. They entered a clay and debris filled dome from which they then dropped down to what is now the main room of the cave's second level. In other directions, the boys saw only shallow entrances to clay-filled galleries on the upper level. The existence of other levels and galleries was not suspected.
Construction of the entrance building was completed in 1944. The "Assembly Room" was completed and used as a curio and souvenir shop. A few years after the opening the Assembly Room was converted into a restaurant. Crystal Cave became a well-known local attraction.
Blaze and Jean Cunningham, geologists who have emphasized the educational aspects of the cave, purchased the cave in December 1986. During the 1992 50th Anniversary season approximately 30,000 visitors toured the cave.
At this time the official length of the cave is 2,076 feet. Approximately 1,500 feet have been recently discovered, and new survey maps are being prepared. Exploration continues, with more footage being added almost weekly.
Over 450 million years ago [Ordovician Period of the Paleozoic Era], what is now Western Wisconsin lay beneath a shallow warm sea teeming with animal life. As countless numbers of thse sea creatures died, their shells sank to the floor of the sea. Over millions of years, these shells, made of the mineral calcite [calcium carbonate], were compressed into layers of rock called dolomite [an alteration of calcite, dolomite is calcium-magnesium carbonate]. Eventually the seas dried, exposing the rock to erosion. This is when the cave-forming process began.
So, how old is the cave? We are not sure of the exact age of Crystal Cave, but we are sure of when the stalactites and stalagmites began to form. Approximately 17,000 to 20,000 years ago, large glaciers which covered northern Wisconsin began to melt, releasing huge quantities of water. Some of this water found its way into Crystal Cave, depositing layers of mud and silt in the passageways. Scientists have been able to date the layers of sediment which, because the speleothems grow on top of the mud, give us a very accurate date on the age of the formations.
Crystal Cave is not inreasing in size but the speleothems are continuing to grow. Over the years, places have been found where growth has stopped and where new speleothems have begun to grow. This may be related to events occurring on the surface, such as farming or building a new building. All activity on the surface must consider the effects on the cave below.
Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico
For more information, contact proprietors Blaze and Jean Cunningham, Crystal Cave, W2465 Hwy. 29, Spring Valley, Wisconsin 54767, 715-778-4414, or 1-800-236-CAVE. Or Visit Crystal Cave's Own Web Site.
