Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

Six miles of chartered underground passages, it is one of the most significant caves in the state according to Missouri Caves in History

Deep beneath the bustling streets of Joplin Missouri lies a hidden crown jewel. Once the subject of intense personal pride by area residents, this gone, but not forgotten, crystal-lined geode cave is now permanently flooded by the high water table in the area. 

On Saturday, July 4, 1908, the cave entrance building was completed, and the cave was opened to the public. Admission was 25 cents. Guests descended down 80 wooden steps to enjoy year round entertainment in a comfortable climate.

Carbon arc electric lights existed in the cave. The wooden dance floor in the cave was about eight feet wide, by 20 feet long. 

The 21st Annual Report of the Bureau of Mines and Mine Inspection of the State of Missouri, published in 1907,  stated that the dimensions of the cave, as measured, are 10 to 40 feet in height, 45 to 70 feet in width, and 250 feet in length.

 In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the Tri-State area of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri has seen a great deal of mining activity. A variety of minerals were mined, with the primary ores being lead and zinc. The ores in the Tri-State area were deposited in cavities that had been dissolved out of the limestone. From time to time, considerable voids would be found containing minerals such as galena and large calcite crystals.

The cave chamber is elongated from the northwest to the southeast. Being located some 80 feet beneath the city streets, the cave was like a giant geode full of large calcite crystals up to 22 inches in size! The entire surface of the cave, including the top, bottom, and all sides, were covered with closely packed calcite crystals with well formed faces!

The Honorable James Roach broke into the natural cave while digging a mine shaft in the early part of 1893, near the corner of 4th Street and Gray Avenue in Joplin.

Crystal Cave was closed by 1932, the cave entrance was blocked so vandals could not enter the closed cave. The uniquely constructed cave entrance building still remained standing.

After World War II, the remaining mines in the area shut down. Their pumps were all turned off, and the water table gradually rose. This water eventually flooded the mine level and then Crystal Cave above. The smaller mine above Crystal Cave flooded also.

The information was taken in part by the MISSOURI’S CRYSTAL CAVE Joplin’s Crown Jewel by Gary K. Soule’s article In the publication The Journal of Spelean History.