Newspaper Recounts Legend and Lore of 'University Cave'

[Wayne Harrison]

September 4, 2007, Greencastle, Ind. - "There is a cave that is rumored to run from near Blackstock Stadium beneath the DePauw campus to Boone Hutcheson Cemetery. Known by two names -- Sellers and University Cave -- it was explored as early as 1830 by DePauw students and Greencastle residents," begins a story in Greencastle's Banner Graphic. Maribeth Ward writes, "Today the cave is recognized in spelunking circles as being the only known cave in Mississippian Age limestone north of the Wisconsin glacial boundary."

The newspaper points out, "In 1884, a DePauw student named John Reasoner was asked to check out the cave system by the U.S. Geological Survey. He recruited another sophomore and one of his professors to accompany him into the cave. Reasoner and his colleagues ventured in but the professor refused to go more than about ten feet fear of getting lost. The DePauw student ventured further into the cave by himself but discovered no lost artifacts or civilizations. He did find the names and dates of former DePauw students written on the walls dated 1830."

<a href="http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=19951">via DePauw University</a>.


<a href="http://www.bannergraphic.com/story/1250775.html">Read the complete story on the newspaper Web site.</a>