The History of Natural Well in Alabama
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Come along with us as we explore this very well known pit in Huntsville, Alabama.
To read the full history of this natural feature in the The Journal of Spelean History, Volume 18, Numbers 3 & 4, July-December, 1984 click this link asha.caves.org....
In 1977, I was going to school in Huntsville, at the Redstone Arsenal and found a cave on base. It was in the bank of, at the time, a dry creek bed, hidden by vines. It looked like it had been used as a shelter by native Americans. It had a fire pit and a carved out area that I think was for their bed. There were some pottery shards on the floor. Loved the weather there. Hope to get back there some day.
Oh yes, we see evidence of native americans and pre contact humans all the time around here. It really is fascinating!
There are two caves on Redstone of any note, Matthews Cave, which sounds like the one you are talking about, and Bobcat Cave.
Awesome video lady… back in the 1960’s my brother (Billy wooten) was in the rockeaters with Jerry Reeves which you said you know him …they went in every cave and pit known in TAG ‘and I’m sure many more.. I was several years younger than my brother.. my brother Billy loved caving ‘until he was drafted in the Army “after he got back from the Army he didn’t seem to have the desire to cave much.. and then after a couple years of being out ‘in 1973 he was killed on a motorcycle down by the driveway .. I was standing there watching when the car hit him ‘ that was the worst day of my life…I know he’s been in this pit and lots of other ones..I really love your videos… thanks very much…
I am so very sorry to hear about your brother, what a horrible accident. Thank you for watching along and commenting, it is much appreciated.
@@tag_caver thank you…
Thanks for the history of the pit. Please continue for all caving. I have always wondered what history and local legends there are on these pits. Thanks.
Thank you. I love the history!
I was hoping you would find some of the silver coins I threw in their back in the mid 60s,you know making a wish, . Back then we could drive our cars back their and it still had a fence around it. Thanks for the video , it took me way back in time.....
That would have been pretty cool to find some silver coins in there!
Awesome video on the exploration of this pit and cave. I grew up in Decatur, Alabama just 20 miles southwest of Huntsville and have explored a few smaller caves in that area of north Alabama when I was younger. I’m somewhat of an explorer myself as I have been section hiking the Appalachian Trail since last year and have just completed 1/3 of the trail this year (2024). It’s amazing the rock formations, caves and waterfalls that have formed all along the Appalachian Mountains. I hope to see more of your cave explorations in other videos.
Congrats on completing 1/3 of the trail. I've always admired folks who can hike long distances. We used to do backpacking trips around here but haven't been on one in a while. Thank you for watching along!
We were just there today. I wanted to know more about it and found your video. Thanks for making it!
Oh awesome! I am glad you found it and thank you for commenting! 😊
Really awesome shots coming back up
Thank you. 😊
Thanks Kelly for all that history! I love it! Your did some great footage too. What a beautiful pit! Stay safe!
Thank you! You too!
They probably used carbide lanterns. In the 70s we used carbide lamps as our primary light source and two flashlights as backups. We were careful to leave the caves cleaner than when we explored them.
Thanks for taking us along and giving us the history of the area. Tell Jason thanks for carrying all that gear!
Oh wow, thank you and thank you for joining us! It is much appreciated. I love love love the history and caves so whenever I can combine the two I get very excited!
I grew up around here and always wondered what was at the bottom. Now, at 28, I'm just getting my first SRT kit after discovering caving way too late in life. I hope to drop this pit in the near future to bring everything full circle!
Oh sweet! Caving changed my life, I found it at 26 and have been caving for 20 years now!
I would love to revisit some of my caves. Last time l shimmied in though, l found myself literally face to face with a dozen or so moccasins and copperheads. I honestly don't know how l managed to back out without getting bitten. I beat all the odds that day. Havent had the guts to go back.
YIKES! We do see some venomous and non venomous snakes on occasion in caves. Our caves here are on average 58 degrees year round so when we do, they are typically not very active and don't have a lot of energy. Some cavers will rescue them from caves, but we leave nature be... I am glad you didn't get bit.
@@tag_caver Yeah this is in Jackson Co Fl. Around the Waddell Mill area. I wont get more specific out of respect for land owner. But this was only ten or so feet in where l hit the snake den. So it was considerably warmer than it becomes once you get in deeper. I was on my belly and was suddenly face to face with em. I SAW at least a dozen. So l can only imagine how many there actually were. I still cant believe l wasnt eaten up!
Looking at that map there could be a few more pits opening up at some indefinite point in the future. Ive seen a similar dome room in Rustys Cave that looked like it wouldnt take much to fall in on itself.
I totally understand how you can feel the serenity and peace you experience in the belly of the earth. Just looking at the smooth walls and the distance between the walls and trying to understand the power that created the vertical cave is for me just a manisfestation of something that I really don't understand. And seeing the flowstone and bacon and all the odd formations that we never see on the surface just reinforces that mysterious power. I think art sometimes approaches the intensity that nature evokes in us.
The underground is truly an AMAZING place.
Excellent! Thank you again for another Great post.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Great video; you had much better weather than we did on 1/22/2023. Enjoyed seeing how you rigged and all the history you researched. The cave register you signed was left by our group that day, we didn't know it was empty except for the pencil in there, one of our group (Max) happened to have that small notebook in his bag. According to the NW survey, I believe there is another register past the low-crawl but we also didn't try the crawl for time reasons.
Ahh! That explains it, LOL.
Awesome video, you two sure make it look easy, thanks for sharing
Our pleasure and thank you for watching.
I am almost positive that the "old structure " you passed by is an old ticket booth, or place for folks to buy tickets to see the Natural Well back when it was tourist attraction. At least that is what I was told. You definitely educated me on this one! Thanks for all the information on the well!
Thank you, that makes sense as it was a small building so isn't big enough for living quarters.
22:46 "The Silvertown Bias Ply was a long-running tire of choice by many automakers as original equipment for vehicles rolling off assembly lines prior to 1976."
Thank you
Cool. Thanks again. Safe, low-impact, positive.
Thank you 😊
It would have been terrifying to do this in the 1880s. I can only imagine how primitive the lighting would have been.
Right! Probably only carbide or oil lamps were used. Very dim lighting for sure.
You should remove the tires if possible. People disrespecting the beautiful pit and ruin other people's enjoyment.
Oh we have helped on numerous cave and sinkhole cleanups. It is sad what people throw into such beautiful places.
No and I live here; but no
You are on the inside of a hiant tree stump they all have that hole in the midle as you know all mountains and hills are giant petrified tree stumps wich means the whole earth was organic it grew
Then how do you explain the fossils we see embedded in the limestone walls such as shark teeth?