Today, we are not discussing a supernatural occurrence, but a natural one. We are heading to Monroe County, Tennessee, home to the Lost Sea, an underground lake located within Craighead Caverns.
Long before white settlers arrived in the Tennessee Valley, the Cherokee used the cave. Evidence found within the cave also points to its much earlier history.
Among the discoveries were the remains of a Pleistocene jaguar whose tracks were found within the cave. According to the Lost Sea’s history, the animal wandered into the darkness before becoming trapped in a narrow passage. Some of its remains are housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, while other remains and plaster casts of its tracks can be seen at the Lost Sea.
In the 1800s, settlers used the cave to store vegetables such as potatoes. The cave provided a naturally cool environment because its temperature remains around 58 degrees year-round. Markings dating to the Civil War era can also be found inside the cave.
As the cave’s history was studied, more information about its uses emerged. During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers reportedly mined the cave for saltpeter, an ingredient used to manufacture gunpowder. According to the Lost Sea, a diary from the period tells the story of a Union spy who entered the guarded cave in an attempt to destroy the mining operation. According to the diary, he was discovered and killed before causing significant damage.
Rumors of a large underground lake deep within the cave circulated for years, but the lake was not discovered until 1905, when 13-year-old Ben Sands reportedly crawled through an opening about 300 feet underground and encountered the massive body of water.
According to the Lost Sea’s account, Sands threw mud balls in different directions and heard splashes each time, giving him an indication of the lake’s size.
Over the years, the caverns have served several purposes. The Cherokee used the cave, Confederate soldiers reportedly mined it during the Civil War, and a dance floor was installed in one of the cave’s upper rooms in 1915.
Today, visitors can explore Craighead Caverns and the Lost Sea and learn about the history preserved within them. For those willing to make the trip west from East Tennessee, the attraction offers an opportunity to experience one of the state’s most unusual natural landmarks.
