Marvel Cave

Marvel Cave
First discovered by Osage Indians in the 16th Century, it was known as “The Devil’s Den” for the strange noises coming from inside. In 1869 explorers believed the cave to be filled with riches, including marble, and gave it the name Marble Cave. With no mineral deposits being found, the cave instead was used to mine bat guano later in the 1880s. As a tourist destination, the cave’s history is also rich. It far outdates the City as an attraction, with tours first beginning in 1894 conducted by William Henry Lynch and his two daughters, Miriam and Genevieve. During their ownership the name was changed to Marvel Cave to describe its beauty and majesty. Leased by the Herschend Family in 1950, the cave was modernized and in 1960 Silver Dollar City, an 1880s Ozark Mountain Village, opened above it. The new park evolved around the entrance to Marvel Cave, one of nature's greatest wonders, and harkened back to the original mining town that sat on the site above the massive cavern.