Wind Cave National Park - History & Culture (U.S. National Park Service)

NPS Photo

First Visitor Center

The Wind Cave area has been protected since 1903, when it became our seventh oldest national park. Regarded as sacred by American Indians, cave exploration did not begin until 1881, when the entrance was noticed by two brothers, Jesse and Tom Bingham. They heard a loud whistling noise, which led them to a small hole in the ground, the cave's only natural opening.

History at Wind Cave National Park:

The Civilian Conservation Corps at Wind Cave | The men of the CCC built roads and trails, and they installed the first lighting system in Wind Cave.

Cave Exploration | Learn more about the early visitors to Wind Cave, as well as today's explorers and the places they see.

Wind Cave Defining Moments | See the pivotal events in the history of Wind Cave National Park.

Legislation Related to Wind Cave | Learn about the laws enacted regarding Wind Cave National Park.