Great Onyx Cave

Great Onyx Cave was on private property owned by L.P. Edwards just outside the Mammoth Cave Estate. Edwards hired Edmund Turner, an engineer from New York who had visited the area earlier to help him find a way into the cave that he was convinced was under his property. Their deal was to be equal partners since L.P. owned the land and Turner had the expertise to 'open' the cave. Turner was successful in making an entrance, exploring and laying out the routes. It opened in 1915. They formed a partnership and Great Onyx opened to the public. By 1917, L.P. and Edmund had a falling out and L.P. took Turner's name off everything. Turner died a few years later with no claims to the cave he opened and almost penniless. When L. P. Edwards and his wife died, his only living child, Lucy Edwards and her husband Perry Cox continued operation of the Great Onyx Cave and Hotel until the Government bought land in 1965.

Click on image below for larger view.


Great Onyx Cave Hotel	Draperies Formation	Formation	Formation

Souvenir Post Card	Map	Cave Wedding	Hanging Garden Formation

Cave Guide	Formation	Cabins	Cave Information

Cave Entrance		Great Onyx Hotel	Entrance Road