Cushman
-
lilwoodhippie
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 5:02 am
Cushman
Anyone know anything about Blowing Cave and The Shaver Mystery? Now thats something Id like to see pictures of.
-
White Rabbit
- 500+ Poster
- Posts: 5246
- Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:57 pm
- Location: Missouri
Re: Cushman
I think Sertile has been to that cave, but I could be wrong.lilwoodhippie wrote:Anyone know anything about Blowing Cave and The Shaver Mystery? Now thats something Id like to see pictures of.
-
Sertile
- Sinkhole Violator
- Posts: 3515
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Karlin, MO
- Contact:
RE: Cushman
I suuuure have. I'm all over that kind of shit. I did a bit of digging on the Shaver Mystery a while back and came up with some pretty interesting stuff. I actually managed to track down the widow of one of the old-school hollow earth researcher guys who first explored the Blowing Cave, and she gave me copies of a lot of his old files. I've got maps, diaries, old letters and magazine articles he wrote. It's pretty heavy stuff. And yes, I even spent a couple of days last summer personally exploring the Cushman Blowing Cave. What is it you'd like to know, exactly?
If it's pictures you're after I've got a couple I can post, but my camera's not so good when it comes to taking pictures in the dark, so they're all of the outside of the cave. I've got copies of some really old ones the one guy took that show you the insides of the cave, but I don't have anything to scan them with.
I can tell you right now there's no such thing as a secret passageway or an underground city or a lost civilization or monsters or anything else down there. It makes for a good story, but it was all (not surprisingly) a hoax. However, if you're looking to do some good caving I HIGHLY recommend it. Blowing Cave's one of the best I've ever been in. It's 1.4 miles long and the mouth of the cave is five stories high. There's a really big breakdown area toward the entrance, which is where the tunnel's supposed to be, an underground lake/river about half way through, and a lot of mazelike tunnels toward the back.
If you actually want to go looking for the Teros I can tell you exactly where to go. In fact I encourage it, and I'd love for you to prove me wrong. All I'm saying is don't get your hopes up.
If it's pictures you're after I've got a couple I can post, but my camera's not so good when it comes to taking pictures in the dark, so they're all of the outside of the cave. I've got copies of some really old ones the one guy took that show you the insides of the cave, but I don't have anything to scan them with.
I can tell you right now there's no such thing as a secret passageway or an underground city or a lost civilization or monsters or anything else down there. It makes for a good story, but it was all (not surprisingly) a hoax. However, if you're looking to do some good caving I HIGHLY recommend it. Blowing Cave's one of the best I've ever been in. It's 1.4 miles long and the mouth of the cave is five stories high. There's a really big breakdown area toward the entrance, which is where the tunnel's supposed to be, an underground lake/river about half way through, and a lot of mazelike tunnels toward the back.
If you actually want to go looking for the Teros I can tell you exactly where to go. In fact I encourage it, and I'd love for you to prove me wrong. All I'm saying is don't get your hopes up.
RE: Cushman
Ive never even heard the story of this. Is it some kind of Ted the caver mystery? I would like to know the urban legend surrounding it if you get a chance.
I went over to the dark side, but just to pick up a few things.
-
Sertile
- Sinkhole Violator
- Posts: 3515
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Karlin, MO
- Contact:
RE: Cushman
Ted the Caver was just some idiot who never finished making his own website, and everyone said "My, how positively mysterious!"
The Shaver Mystery came out of the pulp fiction magazines of the 40's (Amazing Stories, specifically), and were a series of quasi-fictional sci-fi/fantasy-themed short stories set in a kind of underworld, populated by the Teros and their evil counterparts, the Deros. Mr. Shaver claimed his stories were based on fact, a "secret history" of the earth, and a kind of mythos sprang up around his work. Shaver's publisher, Ray Palmer, had a lot of people believing it at the time, some of which lasted into the 70's and 80's.
A few such adherents claimed to have found a way into Shaver's mythical underworld during a series of trips undertaken during the 60's and 70's, with the Blowing Cave as their portal, and their story came to light in the early 80's when a man named Marcoux began to write about it. Marcoux explored the cave fruitlessly and that was pretty much the end of it, but he brought a lot of fantastic legends to light, and did some interesting research.
A couple of good references would be "The Deep Caverns of Cushman, Arkansas" and "The N! Chronicles, by the Mysterious 'L'"
http://www.angelfire.com/ut/branton/cushman.html
http://www.softcom.net/users/vtown/nchronicles.html
The Shaver Mystery came out of the pulp fiction magazines of the 40's (Amazing Stories, specifically), and were a series of quasi-fictional sci-fi/fantasy-themed short stories set in a kind of underworld, populated by the Teros and their evil counterparts, the Deros. Mr. Shaver claimed his stories were based on fact, a "secret history" of the earth, and a kind of mythos sprang up around his work. Shaver's publisher, Ray Palmer, had a lot of people believing it at the time, some of which lasted into the 70's and 80's.
A few such adherents claimed to have found a way into Shaver's mythical underworld during a series of trips undertaken during the 60's and 70's, with the Blowing Cave as their portal, and their story came to light in the early 80's when a man named Marcoux began to write about it. Marcoux explored the cave fruitlessly and that was pretty much the end of it, but he brought a lot of fantastic legends to light, and did some interesting research.
A couple of good references would be "The Deep Caverns of Cushman, Arkansas" and "The N! Chronicles, by the Mysterious 'L'"
http://www.angelfire.com/ut/branton/cushman.html
http://www.softcom.net/users/vtown/nchronicles.html
RE: Cushman
Is this on private property? I am a member of the National Speleological Society, and if I got caught and somehow it got back to them, I would most definitly get the boot. Trespassing in storm drains and old buildings is another story and thats all fine with me, just not in natural caves. I have no moral problem with it, just "I" can't do it without possible consequence.
I know where this is on a topo map, but what markers are there to find it?
Thanks,
Tubro
I know where this is on a topo map, but what markers are there to find it?
Thanks,
Tubro
-
Sertile
- Sinkhole Violator
- Posts: 3515
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Karlin, MO
- Contact:
RE: Cushman
Hey Turbro, welcome to UO!
I honestly can't tell you who owns the Blowing Cave for sure, but it doesn't appear to be on private property. I'm fairly certain it's public land. At least, the people of Cushman treat it as such.
There's a road leading up to the cave, clearly labelled "Blowing Cave Rd." complete with street sign, that literally runs directly into the mouth of the cave. It's a dirt road, and it actually degenerated into a narrow trail shortly before reading the cave, but there's an area where you can park and walk the rest of the way in.
The road and the nature of the road, coupled with the lack of signs or fences, make me think this is either public property or the land that time forgot. There was absolutely nothing to make me think I shouldn't be there.
It's also frequently and freely visited by the locals, and we met a couple of college kids camping out there the night we went.
Inside the cave you'll find cables bolted to the walls and steep inclines as climbing aides, which I'm under the impression were placed there by the city of Cushman in order to make the cave safer. Legend has it a couple of people died there sometime in the last century, but the cave entrance is far too large to seal (5 stories), so other precautions had to be taken.
I don't think your NSS membership will be in any danger from the Blowing Cave, and I highly recommend going.
I honestly can't tell you who owns the Blowing Cave for sure, but it doesn't appear to be on private property. I'm fairly certain it's public land. At least, the people of Cushman treat it as such.
There's a road leading up to the cave, clearly labelled "Blowing Cave Rd." complete with street sign, that literally runs directly into the mouth of the cave. It's a dirt road, and it actually degenerated into a narrow trail shortly before reading the cave, but there's an area where you can park and walk the rest of the way in.
The road and the nature of the road, coupled with the lack of signs or fences, make me think this is either public property or the land that time forgot. There was absolutely nothing to make me think I shouldn't be there.
It's also frequently and freely visited by the locals, and we met a couple of college kids camping out there the night we went.
Inside the cave you'll find cables bolted to the walls and steep inclines as climbing aides, which I'm under the impression were placed there by the city of Cushman in order to make the cave safer. Legend has it a couple of people died there sometime in the last century, but the cave entrance is far too large to seal (5 stories), so other precautions had to be taken.
I don't think your NSS membership will be in any danger from the Blowing Cave, and I highly recommend going.
Latest Update - Camp Wellfleet, Freshbrook Village: http://undergroundozarks.com/blog/sertile/
-
Durnald_toad
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:06 am
- Location: Izard County, Ar
Re: Cushman
I’m looking for a map overlay of the cave.
I’ve been in a few times myself. We took fishing line in with us, tied it at the opening and ran it the intire distance we went in. Then, we rolled it up on the way out and measured it when we got home. It measured 1,300ft/ (seemed further than that inside the cave)
We plan on returning to explore other pathways but it would be nice to have an idea on where to go.
*** We reached what I would call the dead end (I thought) past the nails in the wall with the rope ledge. Through the neck deep water and up… a few rooms past that and it seemed to dead end in every direction.
Any advice on how to get further in is greatly appreciated.
I’ve been in a few times myself. We took fishing line in with us, tied it at the opening and ran it the intire distance we went in. Then, we rolled it up on the way out and measured it when we got home. It measured 1,300ft/ (seemed further than that inside the cave)
We plan on returning to explore other pathways but it would be nice to have an idea on where to go.
*** We reached what I would call the dead end (I thought) past the nails in the wall with the rope ledge. Through the neck deep water and up… a few rooms past that and it seemed to dead end in every direction.
Any advice on how to get further in is greatly appreciated.
-
angelnhigh
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 9:15 am
RE: Cushman
Thinking about taking a trip up to this cave when it warms up a bit. Is it gated off or can we still get to it?
RE: Cushman
AngelnHigh, the cave is privately owned but not posted nor closed. There are a few places deeper in the cave that could be gated, but that seems unlikely. To a previous poster, as far as being near the end; the only trip of which I am aware that went to the current "end" was a two day camping trip by very experienced, gonzo cavers. Sounds like the poster was at the meat grinder, and it goes a long way past that. And, not to be the forum nanny, but we tend to forget that wide open, muddy old Cushman is still a cave. Ill-equipped and inexperienced people may find themselves crawling to the scene of their accident. Visit a grotto, if for no other reason to find out what you don't know.
The best solution is always simple and the simple solution is always hard.
-
angelnhigh
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 9:15 am
RE: Cushman
Thanks for the info and if we can get in there, will post pics!
Re: RE: Cushman
Charles Marcoux was my uncle. After he broke up with my aunt, we lost all contact with him. I've been on a bit of a quest lately trying to find more about him and what happened to all his artwork and writings. Any info would be greatly appreciated!Sertile wrote:A few such adherents claimed to have found a way into Shaver's mythical underworld during a series of trips undertaken during the 60's and 70's, with the Blowing Cave as their portal, and their story came to light in the early 80's when a man named Marcoux began to write about it. Marcoux explored the cave fruitlessly and that was pretty much the end of it, but he brought a lot of fantastic legends to light, and did some interesting research.
RE: Cushman
That's really cool that he was your uncle! Are you from around the Cushman/Batesville area?
One of the things that I think makes his story even more fascinating is that several Arkansas Native American tribes believed that caves were a gateway into the underworld. There was a large village just east of Batesville in the time that De Soto explored the area. I sometimes wonder if they had any sort of stories regarding the cave. Caves really are full of mystery. It's something interesting to think about.
One of the things that I think makes his story even more fascinating is that several Arkansas Native American tribes believed that caves were a gateway into the underworld. There was a large village just east of Batesville in the time that De Soto explored the area. I sometimes wonder if they had any sort of stories regarding the cave. Caves really are full of mystery. It's something interesting to think about.
RE: Cushman
Actually, I've never been to Cushman. My family is all from Flint, Michigan. For 40+ years, we never knew what happened to my uncle until I stumbled on a blog about the Blowing Cave and his death there. I've only been digging for a few days, so everything is still pretty sketchy. When I was sent a link to this thread that indicated someone had contact with my uncle's second wife and his papers, I was hoping to find someone to fill in some of the missing pieces.