Nature
California Caverns, a limestone cave system in the Sierra Nevada foothills at Cave City in Calaveras County, became one of the region’s earliest officially recorded caves after Captain Joseph Taylor discovered it in 1849 on land claimed by James B. McKinney for gold mining. Soon opened to visitors, it was the first show cave in California and the first in the Sierra Nevada operated as a tourist attraction, with tours established by 1853. Beyond sightseeing, it sheltered people in harsh winters and hosted community events. Its “tour of lights” left more than 5,000 historic signatures, and visitors included Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir.
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California · United States
