Then & Now: Ohio Caverns Entrance

Then – This is a 1941 photo (#0336) of the entrance to Ohio Caverns: ‘Where nature carved a fairyland.’ The caverns were discovered in 1897 on the farm of Abe Reames north of Mt. Tabor. The caverns were initially referred to as the Mt. Tabor Caverns. Beginning in 1925 tours of the Ohio Caverns were offered. The formal tour takes visitors past stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes including the Crystal King, a large white stalactite more than 200,000 years old. The person in the photo is unidentified.

Now – The Ohio Caverns entrance now is remarkably similar to that in 1941, except the arch has been replaced. The stone posts are the same, but another slab of concrete was added to the top of each to increase the entrance clearance. 

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.