Cave Tour with Jack Herschend

Copper · January 17, 2008, 05:02:18 PM

Here is something interesting...

I went on a tour of Marvel Cave that was being lead by Jack Herschend and his son Bruce. It was very interesting. Jack talked about moving to the Ozarks from Chicago. It was quite an adventure for him and his brother Pete. His mother Mary Herschend wasn't so excited. She had a hard time transitioning and it was Miriam and Genevieve Lynch that helped her ease into the mountain lifestyle. Mary was the first to have indoor plumbing in Stone County, this was in the 1950s, that wasn't long ago. The cabin that is in the cave was originally in the Mammoth Room, Jack moved it to the Harold Bell Wright Passage when they took the tour out of the Mammoth Room. (Here is a possibility: the Lantern Tour this next season may start going back there soon) Jack also told us stories of building the walkways and the cable train. Engineers told Jack that the train couldn't be done. The tracks would have to make too tight of a turn and the train wouldn't make it. Jack and the family chanced it, with successful results. If it didn't work he said that there wouldn't be a Silver Dollar City, they literally put every penny they could find in the project. He spoke about riding the train up the hill for the first time and how it wasn't a triumph. They tied two different sizes of cable together and it didn't work out. The train went rushing backwards crashing into the cave tunnel. Jack survived with several broken bones and a stay in the hospital. (If you have ever been on the trains the seats use to go from the top of the cars to the bottom rather than side by side) He laid down in the middle of the seats and held on tight. There are more stories to tell that I will share with you later.

Oh, and Bruce Herschend told me a funny story about Thunderation. When they were planning the ride they asked him to survey and check out the possibilities of making the ride do a helix into the cathedral room. This is for reel and very funny. Can you imagine a rock, even a small one falling while the coaster flew through? Obviously it never happened.

shavethewhales · January 17, 2008, 07:00:38 PM

Wow, that's awesome.

When was this?

CJR · January 17, 2008, 07:01:07 PM

That's cool, how long ago was that?

SDC should build a roller coaster that gives the illusion of going though a cave. I guess the Mystery Mine is a similar concept though. Great story, thanks for sharing!!

Coaster · January 17, 2008, 09:35:16 PM

Thanks for that Copper. I'm glad they didn't make Thunderation go through the cave. That would've been a huge safety issue and it would've taken away from the beauty of the cave.

^I do agree they need to make a roller coaster appear to go through the cave. Maybe we will see that next year. *hopes*

Copper · January 18, 2008, 10:43:38 AM

This was back in September. We are hoping to have a tour with Pete this season.

History Buff · February 01, 2008, 05:10:48 PM

The cabin? A guide had told me this was the cabin Harold Bell Wright built for a place to write The Shepherd of the Hills. Is this not true? If so, is the current location not the original location?

Copper · February 12, 2008, 06:06:23 PM

This amazed me too. Jack said that the Cabin was originally located in the Mammoth Room. When they were modernizing the cave, the tour was taken out of the Mammoth Room, so he felt he needed to move the cabin where the guests could view it. However, Harold Bell Wright's "studio" is where he relocated the cabin. Harold Bell Wright was said to have made several things out of clay, paint and write in a certain section of the cave, now known as the Harold Bell Wright Passage, where the cabin is currently located.

There are some pictures of Wright's Studio on this website:

//http://www.hbw.addr.com/images/marvelcave_hbwstudio_01.jpg
http://www.gchudleigh.com/images/HBWcaveStudio.JPG

History Buff · February 17, 2008, 01:44:26 PM

Awesome photos. I assume we can't see these on the tour?

Copper · February 21, 2008, 09:41:08 PM

You are right you can not see these on the tour. There are pictures of the cabin and the painting... things you don't get to see on the tour, they are all on the video of Marvel Cave and the new book of Marvel Cave.

You should be able to order then from these two locations...

Marvel Cave phone line (417) 338-8220 leave a message and they will get back to you!!!

or

Visit the Marvel Cave Park Website //http://www.marvelcavepark.com/

History Buff · February 23, 2008, 10:27:41 PM

OK, you've convinced me. I guess I'll have to buy both!

Copper · March 01, 2008, 08:04:42 PM

The video is really great.

It was made and produced by Marvel Cave. The cave guides do the acting. Bruce Herschend repels through the large sinkhole, that alone is pretty amazing. They show you the thousands of bats that live in Marvel, since you don't get to see many of them on the tour. They feature the cabin, painting and the Baldknobber head. There is an interview with Jack Herschend. He talks about the building of the Cable Train and about his marriage to Sherry in the cathedral room. I could go on and on!

I think you will enjoy it!!!

History Buff · March 10, 2008, 06:10:04 PM

Does anyone know if the Lantern Tours will be available open weekend?

History Buff · March 10, 2008, 06:31:24 PM

Found this link - some really cool old photos of the cave:

http://www.hbw.addr.com/marvelcavepc.htm

Coaster · March 10, 2008, 08:51:32 PM

Wow those are awesome!! Great pics Dale. Thanks.

Copper · March 10, 2008, 09:44:57 PM

Yes, there will be Lantern Light Tours!