SPRING VALLEY – The 56^th annual Spring Valley Dam Days, set for Sept. 20-22, is honoring the town’s most famous landmark, Crystal Cave, as the 2024 celebration theme. As such, it’s appropriate that former Crystal Cave owners Jeannie Place Cunningham and Blaze Cunningham are this year’s grand marshals.

The Cunninghams owned Crystal Cave from 1986 until 2012. Before purchasing the cave, they worked as mineral and oil and gas exploration geologists for Exxon, Gulf Oil Corporation and Chevron Corporation, according to the cave’s website. Place, a native of the area, worked as a tour guide at Crystal Cave for her first job while her husband began exploring caves in high school.

During the Cunninghams’ tenure, major exploration of the cave began in 1992. A team led by David Gerboth of the Minnesota Speleological Survey connected Crystal Cave to another nearby cave called Bat Cave. The discovery of additional cave passages and joining the two almost tripled the length of Crystal Cave, making it Wisconsin’s longest cave.

Dam Days attendees will have the chance to learn about Crystal Cave and its unique history at two presentations: Once at 10 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Spring Valley Community Center (S242 McKay Ave.) Place Cunningham will share her knowledge and experiences from her years owning the cave.

The Pierce County Historical Association will have a display featuring Crystal Cave history and memorabilia at the community center, along with its popular display on the great flood of 1942. Former tour guides who worked at Crystal Cave can meet at the cave at from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday for a special reunion.

Local farm boys William and George Vanasse discovered Crystal Cave in 1881. According to the history published on the website; “They were chasing a woodchuck when it suddenly disappeared down a hole. The brothers probed and pushed with a stick which suddenly slipped from their grasp, disappearing into the ground. The initial exploration of the cave took place the next day when William and George descended into the hole. They entered a clay and debris filled dome from which they then dropped down into what is now the main room of the second level. In other directions, the boys saw only shallow entrances to clay-filled galleries on the upper level. The existence of other levels and galleries was not suspected. Crystal Cave, at that time was called Sander’s Corner Cave, remained in a semi-filled condition for several decades.”

In 1941, Henry A. Friede, an advertising agency manager and amateur geologist from Eau Claire, developed the cave into a tourist attraction. He had been searching for caves in the Spring Valley, Elmwood and Plum City areas, hoping to make a big discovery. By Nov. 20, 1941, six men worked daily using a drag line to remove glacial silt and debris from the cave. This took until about April 1942. The cave at that time was 1,101 linear feet and 81 feet deep.

Arthur Maher, of Durand, was hired as a stone mason to build the cave’s entrance building, designed by Alvin Peterson and comprised of dolomite removed from the cave. The cave’s grand opening was delayed on May 29, 1942 due to the great flood, which dropped 8 inches of rain on the valley in 30 hours. The cave officially opened to the public on June 7, 1942, followed by a fine dining restaurant in 1947.

The Moe family of the Twin Cities bought the cave in 1957 and managed it for 29 years, before selling it to the Cunninghams in 1986.

When the Cunninghams retired, they sold the cave to their good friend Eric McMaster in 2012. McMaster, an active caver in Tennessee, has added above ground attractions, including Prospector’s Creek gem panning and the 18-hole Tee Rex Minigolf. Along with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, McMaster has restored a 7-acre farm field near the cave back to native prairie, complete with a hiking trail and human sun dial.

Dam Days will also feature many annual favorites, such as the Lions Club’s famous burger stand, community garage sales, the American Legion beer garden at the Ford garage, kids activities and food stands, plus multiple live music performances throughout the weekend on McKay Avenue and in downtown establishments.

Spring Valley American Legion Post 227 has a slate of events planned, including a flag retirement ceremony, a pancake breakfast, bingo and a 50/50 duck race in Handy Andy Park.

Talented locals are invited to showcase their talent in the annual Folliez Saturday night at the Stagehands Theatre, while art enthusiasts will delight in the third annual “Market on McKay” and Empty Bowls events. The celebration will also feature fireworks at dusk on Saturday night, since Mother Nature didn’t cooperate on the 4^th of July. Finally, the weekend will be rounded out with the grand parade on Sunday, followed by a performance by the UW-River Falls marching band.

For a full list of events and times, visit “Spring Valley Lions Club” on Facebook.