Old Elsberry mining caves

Urban exploration in Missouri
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Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

Just outside of Elsberry up highway 79 and on an out of the way back road is a grid of what I assume to be an old limestone mine. There are about 7 or 8 entrances, each big enough to drive a couple buses through, and the grid of tunnels stretches on into blackness. I have only ever been there at night, but have found a number of old campsites in there, some trash and a crapload of ceramic pots that looked like they were dumped there in a random tunnel by a truck or something. There is also a really deep pit surrounded by cliffs and filled with water. Supposedly there is some mining equipment at the bottom.
I want to go back during the day sometime and check it out, but it is sometimes patrolled by the cops even though it is far enough from civilization to really care about, cuz they are nosy buttholes sometimes, at least around here. There have been rumors of a rape or two, and some graffiti is present.

This mine has long been out of operation, but I can't seem to find any info on its time of operation or anything. Does anyone know anything about these caves or where to dig up some info on this? Anybody even heard of Elsberry, MO :?:
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by crazydrummerdude »

A couple of us know of Elsberry and 79.. although I don't know about these.

I think I've actually seen a few similar things near Louisiana. There are rumors of caves all along 79, and there's even a (small) town called Cave, MO up there.

I'll look into it.
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RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by SubLunar »

Oh dang! My friend told me about this once, but I could neither find it, nor verify its existence. Now I'll look a little harder. She said you could see it from the road, but I haven't seen it yet.
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Re: RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

SubLunar wrote:Oh dang! My friend told me about this once, but I could neither find it, nor verify its existence. Now I'll look a little harder. She said you could see it from the road, but I haven't seen it yet.
She's right, you can see these from the road (Old hwy 79, a gravel road), unless a train is parked between them and the road. They are pretty big (the caves, not the trains). I live very near them, if you want, pm me and we can set up an exploration day or something. I would really like to go back there during the day, maybe sniff around the lake and see if there's anything interesting in it or around it.
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by crazydrummerdude »

Ah, so it's Old 79 that you can see them from..

SubLunar and I can probably come up there some weekend soon.
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RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by SubLunar »

yep
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RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

SubLunar and I can probably come up there some weekend soon.
Alright, that sounds good, weekends are best anyways. Also, Since I have already met you at school drummerdude, I feel better knowing you aren't a pervert who likes to take other people into the sewers and caves and do stuff. :D

Yeah, just let me know.
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by crazydrummerdude »

Well, although I am a pervert, it's straight hetero.

Hahah.

We actually were driving around today, and stopped by there. We didn't have enough lights, so I only went in as far as the setting sun would allow.

You from that area?
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

Yeah, from the Winfield area. "Smellsberry" is our rival school.
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RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

K, I went back today and finally got some daytime pics of the mines. Check it...
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HPIM1794.1.JPG
HPIM1790.1.JPG
Looks like a ruined wall that used to block this exit
Looks like a ruined wall that used to block this exit
One of the entrances. Nothing says "Enter me" more than this...except maybe Paris Hilton.
One of the entrances. Nothing says "Enter me" more than this...except maybe Paris Hilton.
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by slow_walker »

Awesome pics!
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RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

Awesome pics!
Thanks,
it rained its taint off the day I decided to go in there so it was quite misty and foggy inside the caves making it hard to get a decent picture with flash. Going into the tunnels to get out of the rain was futile; the ceiling was water permeable apparently, so it was raining on us inside the tunnels as well. Damn the luck. Luck, you are an elusive bastard and I damn thee.
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RE: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by lpfan »

we use to go swimming there a few years ago then we found a partially functioning meth lab and never went back the cops will run you off
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by crazydrummerdude »

There were 3 of us in there the other week, parked right in front and got stuck, too. We were there for a few hours. No cops..
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Re: Old Elsberry mining caves

Post by PANIC! on the Titanic »

crazydrummerdude wrote: No cops..
Yeah when I went back there a couple weeks ago I parked right out in front cuz I didnt feel like walking and didnt see any cops either. I think they go by there every now and then, since I have had friends tell me about them getting busted in there. Nowadays this county is crawling with those little buggers. Point is, I did not see any cops when I went on the 12th.
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