Bluespring Caverns is a cave system located in Lawrence County, Indiana, approximately 80 miles (128 km) south of Indianapolis. The cave system is a karst and river type cave formation and drains a 15 miles² (38.8 km²) sinkhole plain. The cave contains 21mi of surveyed passages and is most notable for having the longest known subterranean river in the United States with approximately 3mi of navigable river.DiscoveryThe cave system was discovered as early as the 19th century. Up until 1913, the entrance used was the exodus of a spring which drained into the White River. However, a dam completed in 1913 on the White River closed off this entrance. In 1940, a second entrance was created after a severe storm passed through the area. A small pond on the farm of George Colglazier vanished overnight, becoming a sinkhole, and the present day entrance into the cave system. The undeveloped cave soon had Colgazier's children wanting to learn more about the newest adventure spot on the family's 100acre farm. Although his daughters Uzahne and Janet were not frequent visitors to the cave; his sons, Norman, James, Lee and Daniel were fascinated by the cave. Soon word of the largest opening of Bluespring Caverns spread and the Colglazier family welcomed visitors from around the world as others descended on the small farm to explore the caverns. George Colglazier and his wife, Eva, lived on their family farm and welcomed visitors to the caverns until the death of George Colglazier in the early 1980s. Neither Colglazier nor his wife ever profited from Bluespring Caverns. They made their living as hard-working dairy farmers. They freely allowed cave explorers on their property and asked them to obey one rule, "not to destroy or remove from the caverns".
