Chronological history of the Cave Property  

DATE

EVENT

May 1, 1860

Henry Clay purchases property from the Federal Government

October 13, 1900

J. H. and Martha Lindsay purchase property from Clay Family

August 20, 1938

Dessie Echart purchases property from Lindsay Family

April 13, 1939

G.O. Harkleroad and C.C. Sims purchase mineral lease

1940

Information on the Enos-Lindsey Cave prospect was published in the Contributions to Economic Geology publication.

August 1939 to August 1941

Mine about 60 tons of manganese from entrance area

July 25, 1942

S. K. Bourne purchase 1 year mineral lease

1959 to 1960

MMV explore and map approximately 5,500 feet of cave

1963

Memphis Grotto continues to explore cave

1970

Lon Odell begins exploring cave and finds Cairn Room and associated passages

Fall 1972

Mike and Susan Warshauer and Robert Taylor begin a detailed survey of the cave using MSS standards

July 1974

Robert Taylor discovers Avenue E

February 15, 1975

Current survey completed at 19,525 feet with  more to survey but stopped due to entrance collapse

February 16, 1975

School of the Ozarks Troglophiles collect water samples and NE Arkansas cavers explore entrance area

June 1975

Mike Warshaurer article appears in NSS News

February 17, 1975

Entrance of cave collapses preventing any entry

May 29, 1985

Martha V. Tinsley (Echart Daughter) records title in her name

May 24, 1985

Randy Rose and Richard Clements visit the collapsed entrance of cave. 1st Memorial Day Weekend

June 20, 1985

Burt Alderson purchases property from Tinsley

July 8, 1985

Randal and Kevin Rose purchase property from Alderson

July 9, 1985

Gate road entrance to property and start original steps into the entrance sinkhole

August 30, 1985

Completed railroad tie steps into sinkhole

October 3-9, 1985

Begin excavation of entrance. Built first toilet

November 1-4, 1985

Continued on entrance dig with over 30 cavers onhand.

November 28-30, 1985

The First Big Dig. Over 50 cavers on hand. 1^st  Thanksgiving Weekend

November 30, 1985

Broke through into cave at 731pm. Enter cave at 930 (Randy Rose, Dave Parsons, Richard Clements, Denny and Ronnie Cronky, Mike Clifford, and Tim McClain). Explored the campsite passage, main stream passage, breakdown room, and nightmare gallery. Heard 100-foot waterfall but were to tired to continue. Exit cave at 3am on Nov 31.

November 31, 1985

Entrance caves back in due to heavy rain.

March 1986

Dig entrance back out and secure with timbers. Access into the cave is by left hand crawlway

May 1986

Dig entrance down and access into cave is no to the right and directly in. 1st Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Sept.  1986

Dig entrance down and install vertical timbers on wall

Nov 1986

Install first gate made by Chris Miller. 1st Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

Fall 1986

Article published in the American Cave Conservation Association about Randy Rose and the cave management

February 1987

Article published in the Black and Veatch Dimension magazine about Randy Rose and the cave

March 1987

Install wood platform with a hatch

May 1987

2^nd Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1987

2^nd  Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1988

3^rd Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1988

3^rd Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

Dec 1988

Begin clearing for campsites

May 1989

2^nd Big Dig to install 30-foot long culvert. Over 50 cavers on hand. Remove first gate. Install Doug Feakes spider gate. 4^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1989

4^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

Dec 1999

Continue clearing for campsite and for cabin pad

May 1990

5^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend. Pour concrete pad for cabin

Nov 1990

5^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend. Begin construction of first cabin

May 1991

6^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1991

6^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1992

7^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend. First cabin completed.

Nov 1992

7^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1993

8^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1993

8^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1994

9^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1994

9^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1995

10^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1995

10^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1996

11^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 1996

11^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 1997

12^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend. Begin digging out for pipe extension.

Nov 1997

12^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend. Continue digging out for pipe extension. Pour pad for pavilion.

May 1998

13^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend. Add 2^nd 15-foot culvert pipe. Pour 3.5 cubic yards of concrete doweling into bedrock to secure pipe.

Oct 1998

First cabin burns to the ground

Nov 1998

13^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend. Clean up burned down cabin remnants.

May 1999

14^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend. Build new cabin and pavilion

Nov 1999

14^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 2000

15^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 2000

15^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 2001

16^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 2001

16^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

February 25, 2002

Drill well 504 feet deep completed.

May 2002

17^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 2002

17^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 2003

18^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 2003

18^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

May 2004

19^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 2004

19^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

April 15, 2005

Bulldoze road up hill

May 2005

20^th Annual Memorial Day Weekend

Nov 2005

20^th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend

March 2006

1^st Annual Spring Weekend

May 2006

21^st Annual Memorial Day Weekend

October 2006

1^st Annual Fall Weekend

Nov 2006

21^st Annual Thanksgiving Weekend