Squire Boone Caverns facts for kids

Squire Boone Caverns and Village is a cool place to visit in Mauckport, Indiana. It's close to Corydon in Southern Indiana. Here, you can explore amazing underground caves. You can also step back in time at a pioneer village and see a working grist mill.

History of the Park

The caves were first found by two famous brothers, Daniel Boone and Squire Boone. They were hiding from Native Americans way back in the late 1700s. Later, in 1808, Squire Boone bought the land. He decided to live near the caves and built a grist mill there. This mill is very old and important! It's even on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures. Guess what? It still grinds grain today!

Squire Boone passed away in 1815. He loved the caverns so much that he asked to be buried inside them. So, he was buried near the cave entrance. But later, in the 1900s, his remains had to be moved. This was because of new construction and people disturbing his burial spot. His coffin, which only held his bones, was moved deep inside the caverns. When you take the cave tour, you'll pass by his coffin. There are even benches where you can sit and think about the cave and its history.

What You Can See at the Park

The amazing caverns are open all year long. But the pioneer village and grist mill are open only during the summer months.

The pioneer village is like a trip to the past! You can find an old-fashioned candy shop there. There's also a building where they make soap from animal fat, just like people used to. In the chandler's house, you can watch them make candles by hand-dipping them. And don't forget the country store! Everything made in the village is done the "old fashioned way" – by hand. These handmade products are so popular that they are sold all over the country, even at places like Disney World!

The company that owns the caverns also has a factory. It's in New Albany, right off I-265. This is where many of the items are made in larger amounts.

Exploring the Cave

When you visit the cave, experienced guides will lead you. You'll walk on lighted paths, and there aren't too many stairs. The tour starts from the General Store. A door in the back leads to a special shaft dug in 1970. You'll go down a circular staircase with 73 steps to reach the cave. Even though this entrance was made by people only about 45 years ago (as of 2015), it's already starting to look like the rest of the ancient cave!

Inside the cave, you'll see many cool things. There's an underground stream that flows out to power the grist mill. This stream starts from a sinkhole in nearby Laconia. You'll also see huge stalactite and stalagmite formations. Remember, these are natural rock formations, so please don't touch them! There's a big open area in the middle of the cave and some narrow spots too. You'll even see a large underground waterfall and interesting rock shapes. Near the end of the tour, you'll pass by Squire Boone's coffin. The stream inside the cave also has an impressive rimstone formation. It's the biggest one in North America and one of the largest in the entire world!

Gallery

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  The village.

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  The village.

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  View of the gristmill from the entrance of the park.

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  View of the gristmill from upstream.

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  View of the gristmill from the front.

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  Marker at Boone's original burial site.

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  Closeup view of Boone's original burial spot.

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  Distant view of location of Boone's original burial cave.