The History Of Crystal Cave

 The discovery of Crystal Cave is credited to a local sixteen year old farm boy, William R. Vanasse. In 1881, William was chasing after a squirrel and when the squirrel disappeared down a sink hold, William went home and told his brother George about his discovery (Green, 2004). The next day, armed with rope and a lantern, the two boys explored the hole and found themselves in the main room on the second floor. Over the years, explorers visited the Sander’s Corner Cave, and it went largely under explored until 1941 (Green 2004).

 In 1941, Henry A. Friede and his wife Mary, purchased the cave. Henry Friede was an advertising agency manager and an amateur geologist from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Cave of the Mounds was recently discovered in 1940, and this was also the time when the discoveries of caves were thought to bring great profit (Green 2004). Friede was looking to cash in on the recent success of Cave of the Mounds and wanted something in the area. He looked at several possibilities, but finally settled on Sander’s Corner Cave.

 Construction began on Crystal Cave in November 2, 1941. Work was done to remove the rock debris and muck from the cave passageways. In early April of 1942, construction of the entrance building began. The outside of the building was made by Arthur Maher, a stone mason from Durand (DiIoia, 2004). Maher used dolomite rock that had been removed from the cave itself. Electric lights were strung along 1,1101 feet of passages which descended 81 feet below ground. Stairs were also built along the passageway. At this time there were two levels of the cave that had been discovered. Four thousand people attended the grand opening of newly named Crystal Cave on June 7, 1942 (DiIoia, 2004). The cave was renamed after the quartz crystals found in the cave itself and was a much flasher name then Sander’s Corner Cave.

  Crystal Cave has changed owners four times since Henry Friede. It is now owned privately by Blaze Cunningham and Jean Place. Place and Cunningham are geologists with a background in cave exploration. They are trying to emphasize the educational aspects of the cave (Green, 2004). The cave is continually being explored and studied by many people. In 1980 a room of the cave collapsed. Henry Friede wanted to make this room taller and started to dig out the top. In 1980, the room collapsed, leaving behind a sinkhole. Crystal Cave offers one hour tours every day from April 1 to October 31 st ( DiIoia, 2004). The cave also has a gift shop which is where one third of their revenue is made.