Mark Twain Cave EarthCache
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The Mark Twain Cave was discovered in the Winter of 1819-1820 when a man named Jack Sims was hunting and his dog chased an panther into a small opening. It would seem, that from that point on, this fabulous cave would forever hold its place in the history books. Of course, most of its accolades came from a young man by the name of Samuel Clemens, who explored the cave quite frequently.
The Mark Twain Cave is also the oldest show cave in the state of Missouri, giving tours for over 114 years. The cave has also served as a place of hiding for Indians, trappers of animals for trade, the infamous Jesse James and slaves searching for freedom via the Underground Railroad.
A cave or cavern is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter. Some people suggest that the term 'cave' should only apply to cavities that have some part which does not receive daylight; however, in popular usage, the term includes smaller spaces like sea caves, rock shelters and grottos.
Millions of years ago the beautiful state of Missouri was covered by a shallow sea. Deposits of tiny marine animals and plants on the sea floor formed thick layers of limestone. When exposed to weather, these layers of limestone became the world's best "cave forming" rock. Rainwater, mixed with carbon dioxide in the air and soil, formed a mild acid which slowly worked its way into cracks in the limestone and began to dissolve passages.
Most people don't realize that caverns are important ecosystems which harbor a variety of rare and endangered species. Cavern systems also contain significant archeological artifacts, fragile mineral formations, and easily contaminated water supplies. Caves in Missouri are susceptible to vandalism, looting by artifact hunters, and just plain carelessness when exploring. The water and animal life in Missouri's caves can easily be impacted by sewage, illegal dumping in sinkholes, uncontrolled soil erosion, chemical spills, and agricultural run off.
To get credit for this Earth Cache, ask the nice folks who work at mark Twain Caves, to take you to the cave entrance. Tell them you are geocaching. They will take you to the entrance of the cave and answer any questions you may have, (HINT).Post a picture of yourself (face included, no hand shots) and the cave entrance in the background and answer the following questions.
1. What is to the upper left of the cave entrance. hint it was used many years ago.
2. How old is the limestone that makes up the cave?
3. How many cave passages are there?
I have used sources available to me by using google search to get information for this earth cache. I am by no means a geologist. I use books, internet, and asking questions about geology just like 99.9 percent of the geocachers who create these great Earth Caches. I enjoy Earth Caches and want people to get out and see what I see everytime I go and explore this great place we live in.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)