Ruby Falls and Home

In 1964, when I was 14 years old, I found a marvelous book at the public library of my little town of Smyrna, Tennessee.

The title was Caves of Tennessee, the author was Thomas Barr, and the publisher was the Tennessee Department of Conservation and Commerce. The date of publication was 1961.

The state government  had assigned Mr. Barr to conduct a survey of the many caves in Tennessee. He described more than 700 caverns, big and small, in a breakdown by county-- and thirteen were in my home county! (As of 2012, more than 8400 caves have been identified; Tennessee has more caves than any other state.)

My younger brother and I were eager to explore, but my parents said no-- but when two members of the National Speleological Society showed up one Sunday in response to a letter I had written, Mom and Dad relented and Rick and I spent several happy summers spelunking.

My Brother Rick at the Mouth of a Cave, Taken With My Light-Leaky Camera

Caves of Tennessee is out of print after a run of more than 40 years, and it's become hard to get and is expensive if found. Descriptions of Tennessee Caves, a supplement published in 1978, is happily still in the Department of Environment and Conservation's catalog for just $10. I'm happy to say I have both volumes.

But what does this have to do with Ruby Falls, you ask?

I believe Mr. Barr and some other folks have something to say about that.

The largest cavern in Hamilton County is Lookout Mountain Cave, a large cavern with a long and colorful history:

The story of Ruby Falls begins with the original Lookout Mountain Cave whose natural entrance is located at the foot of Lookout Mountain on the banks of the Tennessee River. Tales of this cave’s huge chambers and winding passages have long been passed down from one generation to the next, and the cave’s whereabouts have been known by Chattanooga inhabitants for centuries. The rich history of this cave includes Native Americans, cave explorers, notorious outlaws, civil war soldiers, and even a president of the United States. There were many reports of explorers traveling deep into this cave, as far as 12 miles without reaching the end.

-- Ruby Falls Website

 During the Civil War the cave was a source for saltpeter, one of the three components of gunpowder. Chattanooga saw great conflict between the two armies, and the entrance was shelled by Federal forces in 1863.

The northern edge of Lookout Mountain descends sharply to the very edge of the Tennessee River, leaving little room for transit. Railroads and automotive traffic. There are three ways to pass-- by water, by climbing the mountain, or by going through the mountain. (Going around the mountain is certainly not feasible; it runs  more than 100 miles to the south!)

In 1905 a rail tunnel was drilled through the mountain; along the way it cut through Lookout Mountain Cave.

Because the cavern was so beautiful, with extensive displays of flowstone, dripstone, stalactites, and stalagmites.businessman Leo Lambert rounded up some investors and The Lookout Mountain Cave Company was formed in 1928 with the intention to turn the caverns into a tourist attraction.

Since the railroad prohibited travel through the tunnel, the company decided to drill a vertical shaft from the top of Lookout Mountain, cutting through solid rock to reach the cavern-- and history was made.

Ruby Falls Cave was discovered accidentally on December 28, 1928, while The Lookout Mountain Cave Company was drilling a shaft into Lookout Mountain Cave. The top of the elevator shaft has an elevation of 1090 feet, and the point at which the shaft intersects the cave is at an elevation of 837 feet.

-- Barr, p. 251 

For a short time both [the Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls] caves were shown commercially, but extensive deposits of soot from the railroad tunnel have accumulated in Lookout Mountain Cave, and it is no longer open to tourists.

-- Barr, p. 249

And  so Ruby Falls Cave, which has no connection to the outside, was discovered by happenstance. Today it's one of Chattanooga's most popular tourist attractions. I've taken the tour twice, most recently as part of my Lookout Mountain trip.

The Entrance to the Shaft is Made from Rock Drilled When Creating the Vertical Shaft

Ruby Falls Cave is narrow and in fact is far from the world's most spectacular cavern, but dramatic lighting and the beautiful falls at the terminus make for a great experience.

When I got back to my pickup I was tired and ready to go home. The Tennessee Aquarium, a riverboat ride, Chicamauga National Battlefield, and Chattanooga's other attractions await another road adventure.