History

Carlsbad Caverns is the site of an ancient limestone reef.

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History Details

Carlsbad Caverns is the site of an ancient limestone reef. Millions of years ago, there was a shallow ocean where the desert stands today, and the limestone reef was at its edge. When the ocean receded, the reef gradually got covered by sediment. Years later, tectonic movement created an "uplift" period, pushing the limestone back to the surface and creating the Guadeloupe Mountains. The tectonic movement also released oils and gases that combined with rainwater to make sulfuric acid, which dissolves limestone. As rainwater seeped in, fissures and passageways began to develop. Continued tectonic uplifting widened the caverns. We really have no idea when or how Carlsbad Cavern was first discovered. Native Americans knew about the cave long before white settlers arrived on the scene. Artifacts and petroglyphs on the walls of the cave near the natural entrance indicate the Native American presence, though scientists believe they used the cave for basic shelter without exploring its depths. The first documented exploration of the cave happened in 1898, by 16-year-old James White, whose family had just moved to New Mexico from Texas. It is not clear whether White was the first white person to enter the cave, but he was the first to actively explore its chambers and passageways. White soon met a local entrepreneur who was interested in harvesting bat guano -- bat waste -- for its fertilizing properties. The two created a ladder-and-bucket system for hauling the fecal matter out of the cave and distributed it to farmers across the country. It wasn't until 1925 that a staircase was built from the natural entrance to the Big Room floor (early tourists hopped into the guano-mining bucket for the 170-foot ride to the bottom). In 1915 a photographer came to take pictures of the cave: the images got published in the New York Times, and soon dozens of people were contacting White for tours. In 1923, the National Geographic Society visited, and around the same time Robert Holley from the General Land Office toured and mapped the cave with White, then presented a recommendation that Carlsbad Cavern be designated as a National Monument. The recommendation was accepted, and in 1930 the cave was elevated to a National Park. By 1931, drilling had begun for the elevator, which became operational in 1932. Over the next 20 years park, rangers built trails and ladders to make more of the cave rooms, like the King's Palace and Queens Chamber, accessible to the public. Development efforts continued through the years, including construction of the visitor center in 1959 and the Bat Flight Amphitheater in 1963.

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