Graham Cave State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Graham Cave State Park |
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The cave entrance
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 Graham Cave State Park
Location in Missouri
Graham Cave State Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Montgomery, Missouri, United States |
| Area | 386.13 acres (156.26 ha) |
| Elevation | 725 ft (221 m) |
| Established | 1964 |
| Governing body | Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Graham Cave State Park |
Graham Cave State Park is a special state park located in Montgomery County, Missouri. It covers about 369 acres of land. The park is famous for Graham Cave, a large cave named after the family who owned the land.
The cave entrance is huge, about 120 feet wide and 60 feet high. It goes back about 100 feet into the hillside. This cave is super important because it's an archaeological site. People lived here as far back as 10,000 years ago! You can visit the cave entrance and see signs explaining what archaeologists found there.
The park also has the Graham Cave Glades Natural Area. This area protects special glades made of sandstone and dolomite. Many different kinds of plants and animals live in these unique glades. You can even spot the cave entrance from Interstate 70 when the trees don't have leaves.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Graham Cave
The land where Graham Cave is located was bought by Robert Graham in 1847. His family owned it for a long time. In 1964, Robert's great-granddaughter, Frances Graham Darnell, gave the land to the state of Missouri to become a state park.
Early Discoveries in the Cave
Robert Graham's son, D. F. Graham, used the cave to shelter his hogs. He became interested in the old tools and items he found there. Later, his son Benjamin offered these items to the University of Missouri. The university started looking into the cave in 1930.
Archaeological Digs and Important Finds
In 1948, Benjamin's son-in-law, Wade Darnell, planned to make the cave bigger for his livestock. But archaeologists convinced him to wait. Between 1949 and 1961, the University of Missouri and the Missouri Archaeological Society carefully dug up the cave.
What they found was amazing! The discoveries were so important that in 1961, Graham Cave became the first archaeological site in the United States to be named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very special place in American history.
Life of Ancient People in the Cave
The items found in the cave tell us a lot about the people who lived there thousands of years ago. They used spears to hunt animals and catch fish. Archaeologists also found a circle of smaller stones around a larger stone. This suggests that the ancient people might have held special ceremonies in the cave. Later, other Native Americans also lived in the cave, leaving behind pottery.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Graham Cave State Park offers many activities for visitors.
- Boating and Fishing: You can go boating and fishing in the Loutre River, which runs through the park.
- Hiking Trails: There are several hiking trails to explore:
* Fern Ridge Trail: This trail is about 0.3 miles long. * Loutre River Trail: This trail is about 2.2 miles long. * Indian Glade Trail: This trail is about 0.9 miles long.
- Camping: The park also has places where you can set up a tent and go camping.
