Onandaga Cave, Crawford County, Missouri, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Onandaga Cave | Cave |
| Crawford County | County |
| Missouri | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° 3' 35'' North , 91° 13' 41'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Leasburg | 334 (2017) | 7.0km |
| Bourbon | 1,621 (2017) | 10.6km |
| West Sullivan | 119 (2017) | 14.5km |
| Steelville | 1,699 (2017) | 15.1km |
| Cuba | 3,374 (2017) | 15.3km |
Onondaga Cave has some really beautiful formations. There are helictites, cave pearls, shields, and lily pads. This cave is considered to be the most beautifully decorated cave in Missouri, and that means a lot. Especially the still ponds of dripping water are a source of extraordinary calcite crystals. The water is so still, calcite crystals form on the surface, making calcite rafts locally called calcite ice. They are swimming because of the surface tension of the water, and sink at the slightest stirring of the water. Lily pads resemble water lilys but are actually calcite crystals formed in calcite rich water on stalagmites standing in the water. Shields are, as the name says, shield-like formations and are extremely rare. They are formed by water which is transported along a thin crack by capillary forces.
Onondaga Cave formed along the Leasburg Fault, a tectonic fracture zone which marks a vertical shear. The displacement is only 17m, but the huge amount of fractures allows the water to enter the limestone, and the huge surface of so many cracks speeds up the limestone solution. Onondaga Cave drains water from all along the fault, not just the immediate area. However, the water which is today found in the cave is not responsible for its formation. Since then the surface and with it the drainage changed completely.
The natural entrance to Onondaga Cave is low and water filled, it was never used by natives or early settlers. No remains of any usage of the cave could be found. The cave was discovered by the local Charles Christopher, when he visited the spring in 1886. With two friends, John Eaton and Mitis Horine, and a borrowed boat, he first explored the cave. The expedition took a whole day, and persuaded them to acquire the land around the cave. Some sources tell, the cave was first discovered much earlier. The legendary Daniel Boone is said to have discovered the cave as early as 1798. Actually there is no valid source hinting this may be true, so this is just local gossip.
Onondaga Cave formed along the Leasburg Fault, a tectonic fracture zone which marks a vertical shear. The displacement is only 17m, but the huge amount of fractures allows the water to enter the limestone, and the huge surface of so many cracks speeds up the limestone solution. Onondaga Cave drains water from all along the fault, not just the immediate area. However, the water which is today found in the cave is not responsible for its formation. Since then the surface and with it the drainage changed completely.
The natural entrance to Onondaga Cave is low and water filled, it was never used by natives or early settlers. No remains of any usage of the cave could be found. The cave was discovered by the local Charles Christopher, when he visited the spring in 1886. With two friends, John Eaton and Mitis Horine, and a borrowed boat, he first explored the cave. The expedition took a whole day, and persuaded them to acquire the land around the cave. Some sources tell, the cave was first discovered much earlier. The legendary Daniel Boone is said to have discovered the cave as early as 1798. Actually there is no valid source hinting this may be true, so this is just local gossip.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsGallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| C | Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Granite-Rhyolite ProvinceMagmatic Province
- Mazatzal DomainDomain
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