Wind Cave National Park - Birth of a National Park - Visiting the Cave (U.S. National Park Service)

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Left to right: John Stabler, Mary McDonald, page from Alvin McDonald's Diary, Old staircase in Wind Cave, Alvin McDonald

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	Wind Cave National Park Birth of a National Park - Visiting the Cave

NPS Photo Archive

Wind Cave Poster

The Stablers built a hotel near the entrance to Wind Cave to accommodate visitors. An excursion to the cave included a stagecoach ride to and from the cave and a meal at the hotel. After arriving, visitors were given a candle. They entered the cave through a trap door, descending a series of ladders to begin their adventure.

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Wind Cave Hotel and stagecoach (left). Wind Cave hotel and cave entrance (right).

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Collecting Formations from the Cave in the Pre-Park Days

Collecting and Selling Formations

The cave was being advertised as having more miles of passageways than any other cave, being 97 miles long. McDonalds and Stablers were also selling cave formations and minerals. Katie Stabler opened a store in town to advertise the cave and sell formations.

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Katie Stabler's Specimen Price List

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John Stabler's Business Card

President Roosevelt in the White House in 1903 the year of the establishment of Wind Cave National Park

Birth of a National Park
Pre-Park History
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A Brief History
Learn about the people and events that helped shape Wind Cave National Park.
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			Did You Know? With more than 132 miles (212 kilometers) of explored passages, Wind Cave is the 4th longest cave in the world. The cave is still being explored.

Last Updated: May 05, 2007 at 13:32 EST