Around 1930
the cave was purchased by Mr. Stringer who operated it commercially
for several years. It was billed under its original name of "Wild
Horse Cave". Visitors still entered the cave by climbing
down a rickety wooden ladder. Mr. Stringer issued a pair of coveralls
to each visitor and kerosene lamps. Some of the soot damage in
Mystic was probably caused by the kerosene lamps.
In 1937-38
Mystic was owned by Jerry Cannon and managed by Mose Arnold. Admission
was $ .25 and still included coveralls and lantern. By this time
a swinging bridge had been built over Mill Creek Canyon. It eliminated
the exhausting hike down and back up the steep canyon to reach
the cave entrance. Now, steep concrete steps had replaced the
homemade wooden ladder at the entrance. A rope hung beside the
entrance as an aid to visitors descending into the cave.
Around 1938,
the cave’s owner was forced to halt commercial tours by
some type of state official. It is believed the cave was closed
due to the dangerous condition of the steep entrance steps, and
a dubious area near the entrance where a gravel slide could occur
at anytime. The cave remained closed to the general public from
1938-1949. During this time the cave was open to anyone and it
was visited by many locals. It is believed that the majority of
the breakage occurred during this period. At this time, cave formations
were in great demand by rock shops who in turn sold them to tourists
visiting the area.
In 1949 the
cave was purchased by area resident Albert Raney, Sr.. Although
no records are available regarding who owned the property at that
time, we believe it was purchased from previous owner, Jerry Cannon.
Albert Raney soon realized the potential for the cave. Highway
7 was being paved for the first time and would most certainly
dramatically increase the number of tourists visiting the area.
He began to re-commercialize the cave.
He first removed the rotted wood and other debris that were left
over from its former trails, steps, etc. He then created a spiraling
path down the sinkhole entrance, with concrete steps where the
slope was steep. The trails throughout the cave were leveled and
then covered with lime to harden them. For the first time electric
lighting was installed in the cave along with concrete steps with
handrails where the trails were steep.
After the
cave was finished in 1950, the Raney family built a new rock and
frame house/ticket office on the west side of Highway 7, approximately
1000 feet north of the cave. The house was still standing in 1984
but has since burned down. A road was bulldozed from the ticket
office across Mill Creek Canyon, then up the hill to the cave.
The cave was then opened to the public for the first time under
the name "Mystic Caverns". In 1959 Albert Raney, Sr.
turned the cave over to his son Albert Raney, Jr.. Albert Jr.
ran the cave until 1966 with family and friends as guides.
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