Diamond Cave, described in newspapers as "one of the greatest wonders of Arkansas," was discovered, many say, in the winter of 1835, when the hunting dogs of Sam and Andrew Hudson chased a bear into a hole on the side of a mountain. The men followed their dogs into the cave, killed the bear, then looked in wonder at the many stalagmites and stalactites, shining "like diamonds" in the glow of their torches.
The Daily Arkansas Gazette, July 11, 1893, described the beauty found in its "sickled chamber, about a half a mile in length, some 100 feet wide, terraced and columned through its vast extent in a style of magnificence of form and color...." By 1910, it had become a "must see" tourist attraction, hosting a group of 30 teachers in 1910.
Miss Eva Ritchardt, state education director and leader of the group, described the tour. They entered by opening a door in the ground which led to a flight of steps. They were led by one guide. There were no signs in the cave directing the visitors or showing the way out, which made Miss Ritchardt uneasy. They walked down a passageway three miles long, past bottomless wells and pits near the stream of water the flows through the cave.
Barbara LeRoy is the author of “Which Side Were They On?,” a 302 page book listing biographical sketches of the Newton Countians who were involved in the Civil War, available for sale either in the Bradley House Museum or by purchasing online at www.newtoncountyar.com. The book sells for $33.
