USA > Indiana > Harrison County > Corydon > The Corydon state house : a Hoosier shrine > Part 4
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*One of these near the village of Palmyra, in the north part of the county, has been dignified by the name "Lake Palmyra." Its area is given by Collett as twelve to fifteen acres.
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rison County, lying at one edge of the cave belt, has a half- dozen or more that are, of interest. The most accessible of these is King's Cave, about four miles east of Corydon and near the New Albany road. It has been explored for three or four miles ; its largest chamber is said to be 120 by 16 feet, and it has the customary stalactite formations, besides a little lake containing blind fish and crustaceans.
WYANDOTTE CAVE .- The sojourner in this region, how- ever, who wishes to see cave phenomena in their most striking forms will drive some ten miles westward from Corydon to the famous Wyandotte cavern which lies just across the line in Crawford County. Incidentally, the road leading thither con- nects also, by a slight divergence, with the old Harrison place and spring.
Wyandotte Cave is, in the opinion of many, the most re- markable natural feature of Indiana, being in magnitude and in its aggregation of wonders comparable to the more widely advertised Mammoth Cave, of Kentucky. Though it has re- peatedly been described it is by no means so well-known as it should be, and an account of it here is in order since it comes within the tourist zone of Corydon and its vicinity and com- prises within itself all the cave features on a large scale.
The ride from Corydon, now made easy by auto, is itself worth while. The last four miles of the way runs along the narrow, winding valley of Blue River with the wildness of nature lying all about. Below the traveler, as he skirts the hill- sides, the purling river glistens and murmurs, and through leafy vistas appear ever-shifting glimpses of verdure-laden heights and blue distance. Halfway down the route by the deep-cut valley lies the village of White Cloud nestled within the hollow of a mighty, semi-circular wall of rock that marks a bend of the river-a wall that to the eye seems almost ver- ticle, yet is clothed with timber and thickets intermingled with smaller flora and rich mosses spreading as garments over the seamed and weathered rocks that in places look like ancient ruins. The wild and picturesque scenery continues all the way to the cave, the final stretch being a long up-hill climb to an airy eminence where stands the cave hotel looking over a magnificent prospect.
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It is not intended here to specifically describe the numer- ous features of Wyandotte Cave, but merely to convey an idea of its general character. That character throughout is dra- matically impressive. The entrance to it, a great black hole in a forested hillside, looks like a huge gaping mouth, the upper lip represented by an overhanging ledge of rock, and when one approaches and becomes sensible of a soft outward flow of air the suggestion of a breathing monster inspires a feeling of awe. And to one of sensitive imagination this feeling deep- ens when he enters that dragon's throat and descends by a sharply declining path, down towards the pits of eternal night. For a space the day seeks to keep him company, its penetrat- ing light streaming athwart the rocky sides of the passage, dying away to gray streakings that grow fainter and fainter till swallowed wholly by an inky blackness that is only accent- uated by the dim lantern of the guide. Not less uncanny is the vast and unnatural silence that reigns here, coequal with the darkness. The cheerful world with its familiar sights and sounds is left behind, and here is a realm for gnomes and kobolds and all the wierd creatures about which has played the fancy of man from time immemorial. Or, to those who do not indulge in such fancies, it may be said that hardly less strange is the real cave population as revealed to the matter- of-fact naturalist, what with fishes and crayfishes, crickets, centipedes, spiders and others of their ilk, all colorless, all blind and all with instincts developed by their environment.
Wyandotte Cave has three main branches, which, uniting, find a common outlet, and the combined length of which, it has been stated, are about twenty-three miles, though esti- mates vary. The influences that have operated in the cave at different periods have produced a variety of phenomena. First, we may consider the action of the water as an erosive force. As we enter those Cimmerian vaults and, by the feeble gleaming of lanterns and candles get some idea of their dimensions, we are filled with wonder at the power that could thus invade the living rock and hollow out vast chambers there. In many places the action of the strong floods can be clearly traced by the rounded surfaces and the smooth grooves plowed along the walls. Not the least of the fantastic results of this resistless blind force are the ever-varying forms and
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dimensions of these cavernous spaces. Now we walk through low, broad passages where for a stretch we may reach up and touch the rock ceiling ; or, again, we must crawl upon all fours -the spectacle of men and women thus making their slow way in a procession through the dimly revealed surroundings suggesting some grotesque, mysterious rite. Again, we tread stately corridors or thread winding tunnels, and anon emerge into some vast room which dwarfs all interiors made by the hand of men. The greatest of these, known as "Rothrock Cathedral", is a vaulted chamber so spacious that "Monument Mountain", an immense hill of broken rock that once fell from the roof, making a pile one hundred and seventy-five feet in height, has at least fifty feet of clear space above its summit. Not until the guide, as is his wont, sets aflame a bril- liant colored light do we get an idea of the dim immensity of this colossal exhibit.
The stalactite and stalagmite formations with their var- iants are impressive in a different way. Here we have the grotesque, there the delicately beautiful. Upon the overhang- ing ledges and where the walls lean inward, presenting oblique surfaces, the mineral deposits run together in curious, fantas- tic combinations, sometimes in marvelous imitations of rich, heavy fringings and drapery, as if nature with cunning hand had consciously decorated her palace in emulation of art. Another striking form is the union of stalactite and stalag- mite into what seems supporting columns, the most remark- able example of this variant being the famous "Piller of the Constitution," an elaborately fluted and ornamented shaft, not less than twenty-five feet in diameter and thirty feet high, that connects floor and ceiling. Another kind of formation which adds to the ornamentation of the cave is deposits of gypsum which in places encrust the interior with dazzling white crystals that reflect the candle rays from a million facets. All the fantastic creations of the frost king are reproduced in what seems a covering of purest snow, while delicate wreaths and rosettes of the same white substance adds to the decora- tion.
Unfortunately we find in Wyandotte Cave repeated evi- dences of the ubiquitous vandal who does not scruple to multi- late the wonders of nature to gratify a filching instinct, or, what is equally culpable, to mar them by scribbling names over
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them. Sermons against this pitiable human weakness can not be preached too often or too vigorously.
MARENGO CAVE .- While speaking of the natural wonders of this region at least a few words should be said about Mar- engo Cave, which lies a few miles to the north of Wyandotte. In its wealth of curious formations it is generally regarded as the most beautiful of Indiana caverns, though in the magni- tude of its erosions it does not compare with Wyandotte. State geologist Blatchley gives its total length as 3,850 feet only, but says that "within this distance of less than three-fourths of a mile are probably crowded more beautiful formation of crystalline limestone than in any other known cave of similar size in the United States." The attempt to suggest the char- acter of its features by appropriate nomenclature has given rise to such names as the "Fairy Palace," the "Pillared Pal- ace," the "Crystal Palace," etc. The last-named Blatchley affirms to be the "Crowning glory of Marengo Cave," and thus describes it: "It is a small alcove or side room, ninety feet long, fifteen feet wide and about twenty-five in height. At the south end is a perpendicular wall along which is a drapery or vast sheet of stalactites, and from a projecting shelf are many slender stalagmites, the whole so grouped as to resemble a giant pipe organ. The side walls are studded with hundreds of small and large formations, while from the roof hang pend- ant myriads of slender stalactites of the clearest crystal, which reflect with sparkling brilliancy the rays of the calcium or magnesium flash lights." The "Pillared Palace" is so called because of "giant pillars, stalactites and stalagmites so numer- ous that it is with difficulty the visitor winds his way between and around them." Other features that made the place well worth a visit might be mentioned, among them a great hall- like cavity, with remarkable acoustic properties, and a natural platform of rock at one side. Some twenty or more years ago an enterprising promoter agitated the plan of lighting this chamber with electricity and utilizing it as an auditorium for Chautauquain meetings-a proposition so intriguing in its novelty that it is a wonder some one has never carried it out.
NOTE-Accounts of Wyandotte and Marengo Caves and their fauna, with illustrations may be found in Collet's geolog- ical report of 1878 and Blatchleys report of 1896.
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SUPPLEMENTARY MATTER
THE CONSTITUTION ELM
The most famous tree that ever stood in Indiana was the "Consti- tution Elm," at Corydon, only a dead frament of which now remains. It was a magnificent specimen of its kind, which presented when in full leaf, a vast rounded crown one hundred and thirteen feet across in one diameter and ninety-seven in the other. Its trunk four feet from the ground was about thirteen feet in circumference. The age of the tree was not known, but a tradition that has been handed down is that as long ago as 1816 it cast over the green grass a shade so broad and in- viting that when, in the month of June of that year, the delegates were engaged in framing the state constitution they held their meetings on hot days beneath this elm. Several old residents of Harrison County, now dead, whose memories went back to 1816, were authority for this. One of these, a Mr. Wynn, stated that as a lad ten years old he took early apples from his home to the out-of-door meeting-place and peddled them among the delegates; and among the earliest recollections of Henry Funk was a picture of the gathering of the men in their shirt sleeves sitting around under the great tree. For these rescued reminiscences we are indebted to Mr. J. Edward Murr, a locally well-known contributor to the Corydon Democrat. Mr. Thomas James de la Hunt, a newspaper man of Evansville, also tells of the stories which, as a child, he used to hear from his grandmother. This grandmother, in 1816, was a little girl, Becky Lang, who with other children was wont to play under the big elm, and her special reason for remembering the convention was that the meetings under the tree took their playground.
Interviewing Mr. Frank Wallace, the state entomologist, with refer- ence to the cause of the elm's destruction I was told that some years ago southwestern Indiana became infested with a root fungus that was especially fatal to elm trees. Corydon was particularly rich in elms, and several fine specimens fell victims to the disease. Then the father of them all was attacked and the deadly fungus carried on its ravages under-ground till it was too late for any remedy. The tree gave visible notice of its approaching end, and the last year of its leafage, with its vast spread of foliage shrivelled and of unhealthy hue, it seemed to be making a pathetic struggle for life as it died inch by inch. Its loss was regarded by the Corydon citizens as little short of a tragic event, and to delay its utter disappearance as long as possible it was shorn of its great limbs and their stumps made to support a sheltering roof to protect the dead trunk as well as could be. Out of the removed boughs many souve- nir relics were made, and in a few years more these will be the only tan- gible reminders of the glorious old historic tree. To the "Hoosier Elm Chapter" of the D. A. R. belongs the credit of a special allegiance to the sylvan monarch. Several years ago they erected at its foot a marker with a bronze tablet bearing this inscription: "On this site, June 10-29, 1816, the Constitution of Indiana was framed." When disease assailed the tree they did what they could to save it by tree surgery and by spray- ing, but this, it seems, was not the right remedy.
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The name of the fungous foe above cited is given as "Phymatotri- chum omnivorum." If post mortem levity is permissible it may be added that no wonder the tree died.
THE "BATTLE OF CORYDON"
Corydon can lay claim to being the scene of the only battle of the Civil War that was fought north of the Ohio River. The date was July 9, 1863, a few days after the great battle of Gettysburg, also fought north of the Mason and Dixon line; the enemy engaged was the little army of that dashing cavalier, John Morgan, whose audacious invasion of Indiana put the whole state in a panic. Some two thousand five hundred strong, all mounted and equipped for swift adventure, they came sweeping up from Kentucky, and the first that Harrison County knew of their approach' was when they arrived at Brandenburg, on the south side of the river, and prepared to cross there. Thus this county on the north side was the first point of attack, and, in view of the steps taken to resist the raiders, the story of the incursion finds here its greatest interest. The hostile incursion as a whole has been written of repeated- ly, but reminicences local to this county that are to be found in the files of the Corydon Democrat, and which are preserved in a Harrison County scrapbook in the State Library, give an intimate flavor not to be found in the more formal narratives.
According to articles by Samuel Pfrimmer and J. Edward Murr the advent of Morgan's force on Hoosier soil set the local Paul Reveres a-skurrying far and wide to arouse the country-side. Farmers left their harvest fields, merchants their stores, and all rallied to the defense. Morgan spent the 8th crossing the river, using two steamboats he had captured. Attempts were made to prevent him, but after a brief artil- lery duel the defenders were driven back and the crossing effected. That night the Confederates encamped on Indiana soil, and the next day took up their march toward Corydon, where the home guard was gathering to stop them. Pfrimmer says the defenders numbered about 500. The first actual violence committed by the invaders seems to have been at the home of Peter Glenn some distance south of the town. Here, for some reason, Glenn was killed, his son wounded and his buildings burned. About a mile south of town a line of defense had been estab- lished, protected by a breastwork of logs and rails. Here there was a brisk little fight, raw militia against veterans, which lasted until the raiders flanked both wings of the opposing force and destroyed its morale by the use of two or three cannon which were part of Morgan's material Then the volunteers were ordered to retreat down hill into the town, which they proceeded to do in orderly fashion at first, but more shells screaming over their heads accelerated their speed, which became a general scramble when a second rail barricade at the foot of the hill ob- structed the retreat. In view of their inferiority of numbers, poor arms and utter lack of training and war experience perhaps the minute men did not do so badly. At any rate they put up a fight that resulted in the killing of several men on each side, and the wounding of more.
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Murr says that Morgan's command came into Corydon from the north, south, east and west, and that the defeated home guard surrender- ed to them. The comissary department for the Corydon army, he adds, was under the supervision of David Jordan, who had assembled great quantities of bread, cake, pies and meat, but instead of serving these viands to the patriots, as anticipated, the "Johnnies" deposed him from high office of quartermaster and he was put to drawing a water supply from a well while the intruders took charge of the eatables. Morgan, says the writer, levied $1,000 on each of the flour mills in town as the price of protection. When one man gave him a roll of greenbacks and it proved to be $1,200, two hundred were handed back with the query : "Do you think I would be guilty of cheating a man?"
The Confederates kept possession of the town till late that after- noon, then marched onward toward Salem. During their stay they looted some of the stores, appropriating whatever struck their fancies, and some of the soldiers rode about the streets wearing women's bonnets which they decorated to their tastes with gay ribbons. On the whole, however, the exciting adventure turned out so much better than the fear- stricken inhabitants had anticipated, and Morgan's part in it was so tinctured with unexpected humanity that the unwelcome visitors were afterward regarded with considerable leniency. After the war, we are told, Colonel Bennett and others of Morgan's men came to Corydon to place a suitable marker at the graves of their comrades who were slain there. Colonel Bennett made an address on the occasion, and it may be presumed that all animosities were then and there smoothed over, though that did not interfere with the claims of an astonishing number of men, each of whom maintained that he had shot his rebel at the "Battle of Corydon."
BOONE'S MILL AND CAVE
A feature of historic interest that has from time to time furnished picturesque material for newspapers articles is what is known as Boone's mill and cave, located near Buck Creek, in the south part of Harrison County. So far as I know, the first and most authentic account of these two objects is that written by Prof. John Collett, which may be found in the Indiana Geological report of 1878, and which is here reprinted. Collett says :
On one of his hunting expeditions Squier Boone, brother of the famous Daniel Boone, of Kentucky history, in passing along the eastern bluff of Buck Creek, noticed a small cave-like opening in the rocks, partially hidden by bushes. It appeared to be a good hiding- place for large wild game. A few miles further on he was attacked by three Indians; his only chance for life was to fly. The pursuit was immediate and earnest and it was evident that they would soon over- take him. He remembered the hiding-place discovered a few hours before and reached it when his pursuers were less than a hundred yards behind him. Throwing himself into the cave, he heard the Indians pass over his head. The little cavern had saved his life. To him it was
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holy ground, and he selected it as his final resting place-a sepulcher carved out by the hand of nature. He desired that after his death his body should be entombed there."
Collett visited this spot and found the entrance to the cave to be a small opening into the side of a hill, which had been covered by a rough, flat stone. This latter removed, the way led downward to a little room about six by eight feet by five feet high. This was Boone's tomb, and here the exposed bones of the pioneer were found, though the coffin had been broken and the vandals had taken their toll, the skull being gone.
Squier Boone settled in this vicinity and spent his last days here. Near the "grave cave" spoken of is another one from which pours a stream of water strong enough to supply water power, and here, says Collett "Boone built a mill, preparing the materials almost wholly with his own hands. The building was of stone. Many of the blocks were ornamented with figures and emblems, displaying some degree of artistic skill, and all by the hand of the old hunter. A trailing vine in full leaf and laden with fruit was cut upon the lintels, and figures of deer, fishes, a horse, a cow, a lion, a human face and stars, and many texts from the Bible were sketched upon the stone in different parts of the build- ing. Over the doorway was this inscription :
"The-Travellers-Rest-Consecrated By-Squier-Boone-1809"
Over another door is the following:
"I-Set-And-Sing-My-Souls-Salvation- And-Bless-The-God-Of-My-Creation."
From recent inquiry it would seem that the last vestiges of these in- teresting relics of Boone that existed half a century ago have now disap- peared, by the hands of the relic-purloiners, presumably. Whether the bones of Boone suffered the same fate none seems to know.
THE OLD "CAPITOL HOTEL"
For many years and until 1921 there stood a mile or so east of Corydon, on the New Albany road, a house that shared with the old Capitol the honor of association with the state's beginning. This was a venerable residence building, constructed, like the Capitol, very massively and of rough limestone. It took its name, "Capitol Hotel," from the tradition that it was the boarding place of the visiting delegates to the convention that framed the constitution, but this, like some other tradi- tional stories had its rather insecure foundation in the lively imagination of newspaper writers. As a matter of fact, in 1816 there were also other hostelries in Corydon, and this one a mile away probably took the overflow from the more convenient ones. Aside from this question, however, the building in its own right was worthy of note and remem- brance. It was a rare specimen of pioneer architecture, and its destruc- tion by fire, in March 20, 1921, is much to be regretted. Citizens of Corydon sought to secure what was left of it, to restore and preserve it,
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but the owner of it seemed to have very little sentiment in that direction, and the ruins were supplanted by another house. When I first visited the place. many years ago, I made notes from which the following descrip- tion was written:
"A mile east of Corydon I came to a house so picturesque and curious in appearance that I turned up the lane leading to it. I found it a relic (then unoccupied) of other days. It was built of large blocks of limestone, the massive walls, more than a foot thick, still being solid as a fort. A luxuriant trumpet vine clambered over the front, ornament- ing it with clusters of long pods, and half concealing the little deep- set windows, while all over the decaying varanda a great grape vine had spread itself. Inside the quaint little rooms, with their hand-beaded joists overhead and cavernous, many-shelved cupboards, the yellow pop- lar woodwork was still sound. In every room was a fireplace, and in the kitchen a huge one, such as pioneer chronicles tell us of, not less than seven feet wide, shoulder high, and spanned by an old-fashioned mantel- piece almost out of reach. At the rear of the house, flowing a stream as thick as one's arm or larger, a crystal spring issued from the edge of the hill and down a groove that it had cut across a leaf of solid rock. A dismantled log stable hard by added to the antiquity of the spot, and was especially interesting as evidencing pioneer skill with the ax. The notches and saddles chopped out at the ends of the logs fit together like joinery work, the ax had finished every log with precision and neatness, and even the hinges on which the doors hung had been fashioned by the same tool."
It is safe to say that this dwelling was as old if not older than the capitol, and it bore evidence of being the handiwork of the same builder. I believe mention of it as the Conrad tavern appears in the county's first book of records.
THE FIRST STATE MAP
The map opposite page 7, made by a Scotch cartographer, John Melish, in 1817, was the first one of Indiana after its admission as a State, and so comes nearest representing the political division at the time of admission. On the map are five more counties than were repre- sented in the constitutional convention, these being all created by the first state legislature, which convened in December of 1816.
This map is distinguished by a conspicuous error in the placing of Lake Michigan.
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