Devil's Den near Fordland?

Urban exploration in Missouri
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Spectral
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Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Spectral »

I came across this on a Springfield, MO forum...

From CJav8er
on Tuesday September 17, 2002 at 06:33 PM:

The "Devil's Den" is a huge hole of water. At one time there was a deck built over the top of it and dances were held. Rumor has it that "dye" and "cars" have been dumpted into this hole of water and resurfaced in different areas such as the Mississippi River. The hole of water is located on private property a few miles West of the town of Fordland, MO. on Hwy PP. I would like to see a team of divers solve the mystery of the "Devil's Den." Use caution if you go looking because there is about 100 ft or greater drop off to get to the waters edge. Want more info go to any life-long resident of Fordland to get directions to get there.
Has anyone else ever heard of this? Sounds cool, but those directions are a bit vague, heh.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by White Rabbit »

Hrm... I've read that somewhere before. Either I read the same place you did, or someone copied that word for word out of something I've read.

Might as well check it out, though. Fordland's just a little drive from Springfield.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Reggie »

Wasn't sure if any of you have already been to Devil's Den, but me and P-rose went on Saturday and it was pretty cool. Lotsa ticks though; it was rediculous. Not too far from the road (PP) either. Looks like you could jump off the rim into the water if you were a little crazy. I think we're going to try to repel down it sometime soon. Not really much to see down at the bottom, but it will be a fun climbing excercise. This old lady I work with said she knows or knew the guy that owns it and she mentioned a lot of the same stories I had heard about not finding the bottom, and cars being thrown in there, and the stage platform crashing to the bottom with people on it. Pretty weird hole.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Mindscape »

Don't know if you're referring to the same one (I don't think you are), but there's a Devil's Den State Park which has a pretty spiffy cave/pool thing in it. I think it's in northern Arkansas or southern Missouri. I can probably find it real quick.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Mindscape »

"I'm going deeper underground.
There's too much panic in this town."
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Sertile »

There are so many Devil's Holes and Devil's Dens and devil's this and that it's not even funny. It reminds me of Mammoth Spring, only to a lesser extent. Sounds like a job for cave-divers to me, which (not surprisingly) there aren't a lot of.

Speaking of Devil's Den state park, what cave/pool thing might you be referring to? I go down there all the time, but I only know of a river and the small dam/waterfall pictured on their homepage, as far as bodies of water go.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Reggie »

I speak of the one in Fordland MO
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Sertile »

I speak of the one in Fordland MO
I know, I was referring back to what Mindscape mentioned about Devil's Den near Fayetteville.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by caver »

Fits the description of Devils Den which appears on page 169 of Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri.
Sometimes available at State Park visitor centers. I
recall seeing a copy at the Alpine Shop in St Louis
back in February.

Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri
by Thomas R. Beveridge. Second edition revised by Jerry D. Vineyard.
1990; Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Library of Congress: 89-062281
Caving impaired,,,too old, too fat, don't care.
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Re: RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by bugo »

Reggie wrote:Wasn't sure if any of you have already been to Devil's Den, but me and P-rose went on Saturday and it was pretty cool. Lotsa ticks though; it was rediculous. Not too far from the road (PP) either. Looks like you could jump off the rim into the water if you were a little crazy. I think we're going to try to repel down it sometime soon. Not really much to see down at the bottom, but it will be a fun climbing excercise. This old lady I work with said she knows or knew the guy that owns it and she mentioned a lot of the same stories I had heard about not finding the bottom, and cars being thrown in there, and the stage platform crashing to the bottom with people on it. Pretty weird hole.
Why did they build a stage over the pool? That makes no sense at all.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Willard »

I know about a hole that's pretty weird... :shock:
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Mindscape »

WILLARD! Put your pants back on RIGHT THIS INSTANT!
"I'm going deeper underground.
There's too much panic in this town."
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Reggie »

Check out the story:
http://ozarkswatch.smsu.edu/v13n23/art03_01.asp

Apparently the acoustics were really cool, and I guess it was a unique place for a hang-out.
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by bugo »

It is actually marked on the topo map:

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T ... land%7c%7c

I notice lots of other small pools of water on the map. Did the glaciers make it this far south, or were they caused by something else?
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RE: Devil's Den near Fordland?

Post by Sertile »

No glaciers south of the Missouri. Them are sinkholes.

I see a mine there, too!
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