MCP Directory

By Karen Rice McDonald County Reconnection Bluff Dwellers Cave was discovered in 1925 by C. Arthur Browning, a farmer who lived on the land for decades before discovering the cave. Browning would set traps on top of the bluff and he could feel cold air coming out of a hole about the size of a basketball. He knew that probably meant there was a cave but kept it to himself for a while - until they started construction of Hwy 59 which would be a major road connecting Missouri to Arkansas. He mentioned the "hole" to a couple of guys working on the road; they offered to go exploring with Arthur and he took them up on their offer. It was a Sunday morning in April, 1925. What the Browning family discovered underneath their farmland is amazing – a network of subterranean corridors (water formed passageways) channeling the layers of limestone like a subway system. The cave was hidden by a landslide that occurred 2,000-3,000 years ago. For two years they excavated clay and other debris from the cave; that debris was used to create the terracing out front. During excavation they found small relics of human remains, arrowheads, a bed of ashes and grinding stones. Those grinding stones are on display in the lobby and archeologists date them back to 6,000- 8,000 years ago when native Americans used the cave for shelter. The cave remains at 56° year round - warm in the winter and cool in the summer months. After excavation and hauling out debris for a little over two years it opened July, 1927. Upon Arthur's death in 1958, his daughter Kathleen assumed ownership. She added the museum and gift shop in the mid 70's. The museum showcases quite a display of rocks, minerals and fossils that Kathleen collected during her travels. Arthur's youngest daughter Reita followed in her sister's shoes and ran the cave from 1991 to 2016. The cave is still owned and managed by the third generation, Arthur's grandchildren. Arthur's youngest grandson, Ray Bunch, currently manages the cave. Bluff Dwellers Cave provides an educational and fun experience for its visitors. The guided tour is about an hour long and about a 1/2 mile. The passageways are pretty level, some are narrow, and not too many stairs. You'll learn how the cave was formed and about the geological features such as stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, cave bacon, drapery, soda straws and other formations. Featured highlights are the Musical Chimes, the Balanced Rock, Lost City and Crystal Lake. The cave is also home to cave wildlife – various salamanders and bats, pickerel frogs and bristly cave crayfish. People always say the hardest part of Bluff Dwellers Cave are the 30 steps you take to get up to the cave entrance. Don't worry though - they can provide a golf cart ride up if requested. The cave is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. By Karen Rice McDonald County Reconnection Missouri has a proud agricultural tradition. In fact, the statue adorning the dome of the State Capitol—often mistaken as Lady Liberty—is that of Ceres, goddess of growing vegetation. The first farms in Missouri were established around 1725 by French settlers in the Ste. Genevieve area. In 1811, an event of great magnitude shook the small farming communities—the New Madrid earthquake (recorded as the worst earthquake in North American history). Devastated villagers petitioned congress for assistance and were granted land in the "Boone's Lick" area that runs parallel to the Missouri River. The area proved prosperous, and Missouri agriculture became more productive and diverse. A decade later, in the 1820s, agricultural societies for the promotion and exhibition of agricultural products began to appear throughout Missouri's counties. Agriculture has a huge impact on McDonald County and the state, with a diverse agriculture industry that is especially strong in growing grains and oilseeds (soybeans), cattle and hog farming and many further food and forestry processing industries. McDonald County is a leader in the state in livestock production. The processing of millions of chickens every year in the two poultry processing plants of Tyson Foods and Simmons Foods puts the county near the top in that category. According to a study commisioned by the Missiouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority, in 2021, agriculture, forestry and related industries in Missouri contributed: • $93.7 billion economic impact • $34.9 billion in value-added • 456,618 jobs • $31.8 billion in household income In 2021, agriculture, agri-food, forestry and related industries supported 7,473 jobs in McDonald County. Additionally, these industries contributed $591.7 million in household income. Agriculture: A proud history in Missouri PHOtO COuRteSy WeStSiDe eaGle ObSeRveR Caverns show the work of ancient underground rivers in the bluff Dwellers Cave in Noel, Mo. Bluff Dwellers Cave: A breathtaking natural wonder 6 2023

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