Following, at a distance, the line of the plateau, I drove through farms and what-used-to-be communities like Valley Home, where the abandoned school sits still along the old Highway. Nearby is Wonder Cave, now locked tight, too, its wonders hidden behind an intimidating metal gate with large locks.
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A website called Images from Nostalgiaville: Tennessee -- Grundy County says this about Wonder Cave:
Pelham TN 37366
Located in Pelham Valley at foot of Monteagle Mountain on Hwy 41
Discovered by three Vanderbilt University students in 1897
R M Payne purchased property in early 1900’s
Helped pass a law making it illegal to deface cave formations, 1909
Early visitors entered cave in flat bottom boats
A large entrance hole was blasted in rock face in early 1900’s
Boat trips were abandoned, 1917
River that runs through cave called Mystic, because its source has not been
identified
River is blocked by an ancient rock fall nine miles into the cave
Only one mile of the cave’s 15 mile length is open to the public
Over two million visitors have seen cave since 1897
Temperature in cave is a constant 56 degrees F
Know for its onyx formations
Listed as a Tennessee Backroads Heritage site
Now my niece is married to man (is he my nephew-in-law?) who is a dedicated and daring spelunker, the kind who "opens" new caves by exploring what has hitherto been unknown. He repels into darkness without knowing what's there. His daring is a kind of courage, I suppose, that can serve as a metaphor for daily living.
Me, I'd rather see wonders whose safety I don't question. I'm just sorry that this cave's wonders are now permanently off-limits.
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