Ash Cave near Cassville, MO

[slow_walker]

Here's a cave that I thought you guys might like to see pics of. I've known about it for years, but have never been in it. I asked my dad for some information about it, because I can't find any info on the internet or at the library. I do know from my grandma that the original entrance was just a hole in the side of a hill and you had to slide down on your butt about 5 feet to get to the first chamber. Obviously you can tell by the pictures that the entrance has been slightly modified since then.

I'm still trying to find out more info about the cave but here is what my dad has told me so far.
"Ash Cave has (or had) a back entrance that exited in a gully to the west of the main opening. Lots of water ran down this gully during storms and through the cave. I have crawled through it several times. The last I heard the back exit was blocked by debris washed in. Years ago there were two or three big rooms to the cave but by the time we started crawling through it, debris had blocked them off so we were never able to find even them. It's main claim to fame was the number of arrowheads it used to have. I found some as a kid. A oldtimer named ******* told me one time that in the thirties some people camped there for several days and took out barrels of arrowheads."

Anyway, I really wanted to step farther in and take some better pictures, but I was by myself and I am terrified of spiders. Plus I read too many Stephen King books. The picture with the red circle and arrow is to show you that the arrow marks the edge of the back wall and the part that is circled you could tell was another room, it seemed like it kinda curved around and went behind the wall that the arrow is on. I tried to talk myself into going in there and taking a pic but I just couldn't do it.

[BROUSER]

These are pretty cool. I know of two caves in the Hurley area where arrowheads were found. Hayes Cave, where there is evidence of microlithic work everywhere. Years ago, after a big rain, a gentleman found a cache when the coverstone was shifted by the water. Lots of arrowheads. My g-grandmother was a Hayes, her family used to own it, I wish my family still did. And then the cave on my grandfather's property. There are actually three caves there, a large one and two small ones. When we were kids, we were throwing rocks back in one of the smaller ones to scare out any critters that might have been in there, and my cousin reached down without looking and picked up a perfect point and just barely stopped himself from throwing it.

[White Rabbit]

That's freaking cool. I like the natural bridge thing.

[flyfisherman_46]

Well not to rain on your parade but if you had gone inside you would have found the cave only goes back about 30 foot or so now. at one time you could go all the way throught it to the other side of the bluff but thats been caved in for years.
About the History of the cave it's been a camping spot for years and there is a rumor that it was used as a base for the Confederate forces during the battle of Cassville. There is also a legend that during the Civil war the confederated sank a cannon in the creek in front of the cave, which would be under the road now.
If your interested in the history of that area there are a couple of buildings just behind the Post Office in Cassville that are historic sites. One is in the process of being renovated bu the other is not allthough one of the 2 was the state capitol for one day durring the Civil War.
If you want some pictures of them or some interior shot of Ash Cave let me know I got a ton of them.

[slow_walker]

Actually, I have lived in the Cassville area my whole life and my entire family is from there, so I'm already familiar with most of the history of the area and my father has a lot of pics from inside Ash Cave. A close family member of mine has property that butts up against the property that Ash Cave is on, so there have been plenty of picnics, campouts and late night wanderings of the cave by family members for decades now.

The house behind the Post Office that is being renovated is known as the Bailey House.

[slow_walker]

The house behind the Post Office that is being renovated is known as the Bailey House.

I got the name of the house wrong in this post. Sorry, it should be the Bayless House. That will make a big difference if you are trying to find out information about it. I know that they are currently renovating it because they want it to be the future home of the Barry County Genealogical & Historical Society. I don't know much else at the moment, but I am currently researching it.

According to "The First One Hundred And Fifty Years In Cassville" by Senator Emory Melton, John M. Bayless came to Cassville in 1853 at the age of two. He later served as county collector and engaged in merchandising as well as doing private banking. His company name was John M. Bayless & Co. "On April 21, 1879 he purchased the lots at the corner of Ninth and Townsend Streets and in the early 1880's began construction of a ten room, brick, two story home which stands at the location today. During the 1890's the home was a show place when it was occupied by the Bayless family."

In the early 1900's Mr. Bayless decided to move to Claremore, Oklahoma and pursue opportunities there. He began building a palatial home in Claremore which you can read more about HERE

[flyfisherman_46]

Hmm Bayless and Company sounds familure I'll have to look in my notes. It also tells me that the place could.nt have been used as a headquarters durring the civil war since it wasn't built yet then but regardless I'm glad they are renovating it it is a neat looking building.

[slow_walker]

Went by earlier this week and took some pictures of the Bayless house. It is definitely looking better. Appears to have new windows in the front part of the house. The very back addition still looks a little run down.

I didn't see any indication that the Historical Society has moved into it yet, but I'm not really sure. And since it is right next door to the police station there's not really a chance to take a closer look. I sure would love to see inside of it though.

[Willard]

It's nice the building is being saved but they're dashing hopes of getting it on the national register by putting the shitty ass aluminum (or vinal or what ever the material is) in instead of either fixing the original ones or replacing them with exact replicas made of wood. Damn how can they call themselves a historical society if they can't even properly preserve a historic structure?!?

[ambrosian_spelunker]

I'd like to get directions to this and check it out for what it's worth.

[slow_walker]

the house or the cave?




Just kidding, I know you meant the cave. I'm PMng you directions.

[slow_walker]

my neice and twin nephews were bugging us to take them to the cave this weekend, so I got a few more pictures.

[junkman306]

Did you go all the way back? I used to park my truck in there. If you go to the left it slowly narrows down until you have to belly crawl for a ways. I'd say at least 50 yards. Then it opens up and you can see where it has collapsed at some point. There was a little waterfall last time I was there. If you take the little hole to the right of the entrance you belly crawl for about 50 feet then it opens up enough for 2 people to stand up in it. It has collapsed too, but there is a hole that goes under a ledge and then straight back, but I'm too big to go in it. That poor cave has had a rough past 20 years or so with all the partying and crap that goes on there. The first time I ever went there was a tire and a mattress smoldering in the entrance probably from a party the night before. The entrance is also a good place to park and hide for some good ol' backroading with your girl.

[slow_walker]

Did you go all the way back? I used to park my truck in there. If you go to the left it slowly narrows down until you have to belly crawl for a ways. I'd say at least 50 yards. Then it opens up and you can see where it has collapsed at some point. There was a little waterfall last time I was there. If you take the little hole to the right of the entrance you belly crawl for about 50 feet then it opens up enough for 2 people to stand up in it. It has collapsed too, but there is a hole that goes under a ledge and then straight back, but I'm too big to go in it. That poor cave has had a rough past 20 years or so with all the partying and crap that goes on there. The first time I ever went there was a tire and a mattress smoldering in the entrance probably from a party the night before. The entrance is also a good place to park and hide for some good ol' backroading with your girl.

Nah, I'm way too big to do any cave crawling, plus too scared of spiders. The kids wanted to do the crawling, but since there wasn't an adult who could accompany them we didn't let them.

As far as the parking thing, it is still used for that all the time. As a matter of fact, the cave is just a few minutes from my grandma's house and the first time we went down there Sunday morning we walked up into it and there was a truck way back in there with the lights off and the music up - we scooted the kids back outside and went to grandma's for about an hour before we came back down. They were gone then.

[junkman306]

Lol. That sounds about right. How big is too big? I made it all the way to the back and I'm not exactly a small guy.