Iowa Underground: A Guide to the State's Subterranean Treasures

by Greg A. Brick

Overview

Take a mysterious and fascinating tour through Iowa’s underground treasures. This guide will reveal the state’s subterranean attractions including show and wild caves, springs, mining sites and other geological and man-made sites. If you are a sport caver, a scientist, or curious tourist, this guide will give you all you need to know to begin exploring Iowa’s underground world. IN THIS BOOK YOU’LL FIND • Detailed directions with helpful tips and precautions. • Descriptions of various lead- and coal-mining museums. • Fun stories and legends, including cave fairies, trolls, and ghost towns. • Additional information about Iowa’s coal-mining past. • Facts about underground biological life. “A uniquely written perspective on the underground wonders of Iowa, by a premier Midwest cave historian.” —Gary K. Soule, Speleo Historian and Trustee, American Spelean History Association

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781931599399
Publisher:	Bower House
Publication date:	08/15/2004
Series:	A Trails Books Guide
Pages:	223
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 8.94(h) x 0.59(d)

About the Author

GREG BRICK is a Professor of Geology at Normandale College in Bloomington, Minnesota. He has an advanced degree in Geology from the University of Connecticut, and worked for years as an environmental consultant. Greg’s special area of interest is cave history. A member of the National Speleological Society, he also is currently editor of a national publication, The Journal of Spelean History.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	1
	Acknowledgments	6
Section I	Caves	7
	Show Caves	10
1	Spook Cave - Clayton County	12
2	Crystal Lake Cave - Dubuque County	16
	Wild Caves	20
3	Black Hawk's Cave - Allamakee County	21
4	Bixby Ice Cave - Clayton County	23
5	Skull Cave - Clinton County	25
6	Backbone Cave - Delaware County	28
7	Black Hawk Spring and Cave - Des Moines County	31
8	Starr's Cave State Preserve - Des Moines County	34
9	Catfish Cave - Dubuque County	37
10	White Pine Hollow State Preserve - Dubuque County	39
11	Brush Creek Canyon State Preserve - Fayette County	42
12	Dutton's Cave - Fayette County	44
13	Talus (Boulder) Caves - Fayette County	46
14	Eldora Cave - Hardin County	49
15	Wildcat Cave - Hardin County	50
16	Frankenstein Cave - Jackson County	53
17	Maquoketa Caves State Park - Jackson County	55
18	Werden's Cave - Jackson County	61
19	Camp Wyoming - Jones County	64
20	Indian Bluff Cave - Jones County	67
21	Searryl's Cave State Preserve - Jones County	70
22	Wapsipinicon State Park - Jones County	72
23	Mosquito Cave - Linn County	75
24	Palisades-Kepler State Park - Linn County	77
25	Three Bridges Park Caves - Marshall County	80
26	Wildcat Den State Park - Muscatine County	83
27	Coldwater Spring State Preserve - Winneshiek County	86
28	Decorah Ice Cave - Winneshiek County	90
29	Dunning's Spring Park - Winneshiek County	95
30	Malanaphy Springs Cave and Waterfall - Winneshiek County	98
31	Troll Cave - Winneshiek County	101
Section II	Mining Museums	104
	Lead Mines	106
32	Lead Crevice - Dubuque County	109
33	Mines of Spain Recreation Area - Dubuque County	113
	Coal Mines	116
34	Appanoose County Historical and Coal Mining Museum - Appanoose County	120
35	Boone County Historical Center - Boone County	122
36	Madrid Historical Museum - Boone County	125
37	Jasper County Historical Museum - Jasper County	128
38	Brick School Museum - Keokuk County	131
39	John L. Lewis Mining and Labor Museum - Lucas County	133
40	Lucas County Historical Museum - Lucas County	138
41	Melcher-Dallas Coal Mining and Heritage Museum - Marion County	140
42	Monroe County Historical Museum - Monroe County	143
43	State Historical Society - Polk County	146
44	Ottumwa Coal Palace - Wapello County	149
Section III	Living Underground	152
45	Northeast Iowa Cold Air Community - Black Hawk County	153
46	Bat Caves - Clayton County	157
47	Discovery Cave - Ida County	160
48	Rootscape Tunnel - Jasper County	163
49	Earth Lodges - Mills County	166
50	Subterranean Biome - Polk County	170
51	Secrets of the Cave - Scott County	173
52	Artifical Loess Cave - Woodbury County	176
Section IV	Other Sites	179
53	Eowata - Adair County	180
54	Herbert Hoover Library and Museum - Cedar County	183
55	Old Brewery Art Gallery and Museum - Clayton County	187
56	Bertrand Museum - Harrison County	190
57	Harmon Tunnel - Madison County	193
58	Grotto of the Redemption - Palo Alto County	196
Appendix	More Iowa Caving Opportunities	201
	Glossary of Caving and Mining Terms	205
	List of Resources	211
	Index	214