THE JOURNAL OF Spelean History OFFICIAL PUBLICA TION OF THE AMERICAN SPELEAN HISTORY ASSOCIATION Volume 33, No.2 April-June, 1999 The Journal of Spelean History Volume 33, No.2 April-June, 1999 The Association The Journal of Spelean History The American Spelean History The Association publishes the Journal of Association is chartered as a non-profit Spelean History on a quarterly basis. Pertinent corporation for the study, dissemination, and articles or reprints are welcomed. Please send interpretation of spelean history and related typed manuscripts to Carolyn E. Cronk (address purposes. All persons who are interested in those given with officers). Photos and illustrations goals are cordially invited to become members. will be retumed upon request. Dues of $8 are due January first of each year. Meetings are held in conjunction with the annual convention of the National Speleological Back Issues Society and sometimes at West Virginia's Old Timers Reunion. Most back issues of the Journal are available. Early issues are photocopied. Indexes are also available for Volumes 1-6 and 13. Front Cover "Massive stalagmite towering above the floor," a Diemer postcard of Cave of the Mounds in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. Official Quarterly Publication American Spelean History Association Officers History Section National Speleological Society President: Dean H. Snyder 3213 Fairland Drive Production Schnecksville, P A 18078 Vice-President: Editor for this issue: Carolyn E. Cronk Dean H. Snyder 1595 Blueberry Hills Road 3213 Fairland Drive Monument, CO 80132 Schnecksville, P A 18078 Secretary-Treasurer: Proofreader: Robert B. Hoke 6304 Kaybro Street Gary K. Soule Laurel, MD 20707-2621 Trustees: Printing: Larry E. Matthews, Marion O. Smith, D.C. Grotto Gary Soule, Jack Speece Potomac Speleological Club Press y . A History ofthe Postcards of Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds, Wisconsin Gary K. Soule My first attempt at writing a historical perspective on Cave of the Mounds filled an entire issue of The Wisconsin Spe/eologist (Vol. 18, No.2, August, 1983). A property time line went all the way back to 1828, well over 100 years before the cave was even discovered! As complete as this 37 page issue was, I have been fortunate to learn a great deaJ more and gather additionaJ research material for my archival files on the cave. For example, a total often substantial variations ofthe cave brochure have come out over the years. Counting all variations, such as educationaJ and the "Song ofNorway" play that was held for a number ofyears at the cave, a total of69 different brochures are on file for the cave and property. The following cave postcard identification listing contains virtually every type or variation of a Cave ofthe Mounds picture postcard known to have ever been produced since the cave was first discovered. This totals 214 postcards. I would like to encourage respected Pennsylvania cave historians, like Dale Ibberson and Dean Snyder, to consider doing similar lists for Pennsylvania caves like Baker Caverns, Crystal Cave, and Indian Echo Caverns. These lists serve as valuable reference tools for aJl serious collectors of cave postcards and brochures. As an introduction, Cave ofthe Mounds was discovered by a stone quarry blast at 11 :30 AM. on Friday, August 4, 1939. It was first opened to the public on Friday, May 3, 1940. As of December 5, 1940, over 58,000 people had toured the cave. By the end of 1946, this figure had grown to a total of 437,000 visitors! It should be noted that Cave of the Mounds is located in Dane County, Wisconsin.This naturally formed cave is 1,692 mapped feet long. Its deepest point is 65 feet underground, while the average depth ofthe cave is 50 feet. The cave has two main levels and is formed in Galena Dolomite. On Monday, November 30, 1987, the US Department ofthe Interior recognized the Cave of the Mounds as a National Natural Landmark. This is the only cave in Wisconsin to have received this honor. The Cave ofthe Mounds is an active member ofthe National Caves Association.It even hosted the annual NCA Convention in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, in 1992. Cave of the Mounds Minature Postcards Black and white, glossy, photo type postcards with a thin, white border around each photo. Photo by Alonzo W. Pond, Mt. Horeb, Wis., unless specified differently. Only 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches in size. The Journal of Spelean History -23­ BROKEN STALAGMITES IN CAVE OF THE MOUNDS RESEMBLE FRIED EGGS AND CHERRY TARTS The rounded center was the SUIface ofthe stalagmite at a time when the cave was dry and inactive. When activity began again the new deposit did not seal tightly on the old surface. When the fonnation was broken the break occured along that old surface. ENTRANCE BUILDING AT CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. MISS ANITA HANNEMAN LOOKING TOWARD TIffi CHAPEL IN CAVE OF TIffi MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. RARE BLACK ONYX STALACTITES hang in the Totem Pole Room at Cave ofthe Mounds, Blue Mounds, Wis. where dark passageways lead on into unexplored sections of Wisconsin's newly discovered natual wonder. STALAGMITES, LIKE KNEELING WORSHIPPERS COVER THE FLOOR OF THE CHAPEL BENEATH THE ORGAN PIPES IN CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. THE CRYST AL CEILING IN CAVE OF THE MOUNDS IS A "SECOND CROP" OF STALACTITES BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. The first crop fell to the floor some thousand or fifteen hundred years ago. TIffi CRYSTAL PARROT, A STALAGMITE IN CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. Photo By Fred Hanneman, Jr., Mt. Horeb, Wis. THE HALL OF STATUES IN CAVE OF TIffi MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. Photo By Fred Hanneman, Jr., Mt. Horeb, Wis. TIffi PETRIFIED WATERF ALL IN CAVE OF TIffi MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS., tumbles in colored onyx terraces from the Enchanted Mountain to the tiny underground lake. THE RIDGE OF STATUARY IN SOUTH SECTION AT CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. Photo By Diemer, Madison, Wis. Yellow tinted picture ofthe Island Room with printing all on one side very much like a calling card ... Nature's Unspoiled Treasure Room CAVE OF THE MOUNDS BLUE MOUNDS WISCONSIN (Actually the original ticket stub for the Cave ofthe Mounds tours!) Colored card of the Gem Room, North Cave (Most likely a postcard proofto let the customer see how the postcard would look prior to ordering and printing.) Mt. Boreb Chamber of Commerce Caye Post Card A two pane~ 1 c post card produced just after Cave ofthe Mounds was discovered. It advertised the availability of literature on the cave and two nearby attractions by filling in your name and address -24- The Journal of Spelean History and sending it to the Mt. Horeb Chamber ofCommerce. Off-white in color, with a small photo ofthe Han of Statues. Oria=inal Diemer Brown and White Print Shop Cave Postcards This is the original series ofpostcards produced by the cave when it first opened to the public. They were most likely done by a local print shop on regular postcard printing stock. They all say: "PHOTO BY HIEMER, MADISON, WISCONSIN," on them, and at least three different stamp notation types exist, plus light and dark print variations, etc. occur also. They were used through almost all ofthe 1940s. (The Roaring Lion postcard actually shows Charles Brigham, who used to own the Brigham Farm beneath which Cave ofthe Mounds is located!) CATHEDRAL HALL, NORTH SECTION, CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN One Cent Stamp Here CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS ABOVE THE LAKE BRIDGE. CAVE OF THE MOUNDS AT BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN. Plain, One Cent Stamp Here, Place Stamp Here EXIT HALL - NORTH CAVE BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN One Cent Stamp Here GEM ROOM - CAVE OF THE MOUNDS BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN One Cent Stamp Here MASSIVE STALAGMITE TOWERING ABOVE TIm FLOOR. CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN. Plain RARE RIBBONS IN STONE WITH BLACK AND WHITE STRIPES SHOWING TWIN BLACK KNIGHTS ON LEDGE AT LEFT. CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. Plain ­ light and dark picture versions, One Cent Stamp Here - without and with an educational message, Place Stamp Here STAIRWAY INTO THE NORTH SECTION OF CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN. Plain - with a very slight horizontal picture shift version STALACTITES AND CAVE ONYX TERRACES ON THE ENCHANTED MOUNTAIN IN CAVE OF THE MOUNDS AT BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. Plain, One Cent Stamp Here, Place Stamp Here STALACTITES ON THE CEILING AND DOME-SHAPED STALAGMITES ON THE FLOOR OF THE CHAPEL. CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN. Plain, One Cent Stamp Here - without and with an educational message, Place Stamp Here The Journal of Spelean History -25 THE BLEEDING STALACTITES, SO CALLED BECAUSE OF TIffi VEINS OF RED. NOTE DROPS OF WATER ON TIlE STALACTITES WHICH ARE STILL GROWING. CAVE OF THE MOUNDS AT BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN. Plain - without and with an advertising message THE HALL OF STATUARY IN THE SOUTH SECTION AT CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS . Plain, One Cent Stamp Here, Place Stamp Here THE HALL OF STATUARY IN THE SOUTH SECTION AT CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN One Cent Stamp Here - light and dark print versions, and brown and black photo versions TIlE NARROWS. CAVE OF TIlE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WISCONSIN. Plain, One Cent Stamp Here - light and dark print versions, Place Stamp Here - light and dark print versions THE OAK GROVE PARKING AREA AT TIffi ENTRANCE ARCH TO CAVE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS. Plain, One Cent Stamp Here - two different caption locations due to a complete reverse printing error on the back side, Place Stamp Here THE PARROT, A STALAGMITE FORMATION AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE NARROWS IN CA VE OF THE MOUNDS, BLUE MOUNDS, WIS.