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Wabasha Street Caves | Saint Paul


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Landmark: Wabasha Street Caves
City: Saint Paul
Country: USA Minnesota
Continent: North America

Wabasha Street Caves, Saint Paul, USA Minnesota, North America

Overview

Wabasha Street Caves in Saint Paul Minnesota boast a fascinating history replete with industrial exploits cultural quirks and notoriety.

Carved out of sandstone bluffs along Mississippi River these caves evolved from industrial uses into quite lively hub of entertainment and historical storytelling.

Caves were originally hewn out as sandstone quarries back in 1840s.

Workers mined soft sandstone from bluffs supplying building materials for Saint Paul's rapidly growing urban sprawl.

As demand for sandstone dwindled over time caves found new uses leveraging their naturally cool stable temperatures and pretty expansive underground caverns.

Caves were utilized extensively for mushroom cultivation during early 20th century.

Caves provided an ideal environment for cultivating mushrooms year-round under consistently cool humid conditions before modern refrigeration existed.

Caves around here got a pretty wild rep back in Prohibition era from 1920 to 1933 when booze was outlawed nationwide.

Wabasha Street Caves harbored a clandestine nightclub called Castle Royal operating stealthily underground with dancing and drinking going on surreptitiously.

Notorious outlaws like John Dillinger and Ma Barker allegedly hid out in caves according to various local legends and shaky oral traditions.

Caves embody an era's gritty underworld in Saint Paul sometimes called gangster era mystique surrounds these dimly lit subterranean hideaways rather eerily.

Stories swirl around their hidden location adding significantly to mystique and dark appeal for thrill seekers.

Caves were repurposed after Prohibition ended for storage and weird industrial stuff and occasionally some social gatherings happened there.

Caves were restored pretty quickly and morphed into a snazzy modern venue showcasing historic legacy alongside ample event space potential.

Wabasha Street Caves has evolved into a wildly eclectic entertainment hub hosting historical tours live music dance nights and corporate events nowadays.

Visitors engaging deeply with Wabasha Street Caves history and ambiance can choose from various tours and events slowly unfolding around them.A 45-minute Historic Cave Tour guides visitors laboriously through sandstone quarries' origins and their notorious Prohibition era usage very thoroughly.Tours often highlight gangster lore surrounding caves somewhat mystically.

Visitors may experience history by attending specialized events held sporadically here.

Guides share tales of Saint Paul's storied past including stories of a hidden nightclub and secretive underground life eerily shrouded in mystery.

Saint Paul Gangster Tour offers a two-hour motorcoach ride around city's notorious gangster hangouts with guides costumed as infamous mobsters narrating vividly.

Saint Paul's history as a sanctuary for nefarious characters in early 20th century unfolds rather fascinatingly on this somewhat unconventional tour.

Swing Dance Night happens weekly celebrating music and old fashioned dance styles from 1930s and pretty quirky 1940s era vibes.

Attendees revel in raucous Big Band tunes and partake in gratis dance tutorials amidst a vintage dance hall's weirdly wonderful subterranean ambiance.

Lost Souls Tour happens monthly delving into paranormal legends and ghost stories associated with caves and bringing eerie vibes to historic settings.

Caves carved from sandstone bluffs provide naturally cool environment year-round maintaining temperatures roughly between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit underground.

Historically they made perfect spots for mushroom cultivation and hush-hush gatherings underground but today they offer quite comfortable surroundings for various events.

Interior features multiple chambers and tunnels outfitted quite lavishly with modern sound systems and bespoke seating for live performances amidst raw stone walls.

Visitor details can be found at 215 Wabasha Street South Saint Paul MN 55107 down by Mississippi River near downtown area rather obscurely.

Caves boast wheelchair accessibility via ramps and restrooms and seating areas fashioned for accommodating visitors of all kinds quite nicely.

Various events and tours happen sporadically throughout week with historic tours and themed events necessitating advance booking at specific times.

Prices for admission vary wildly by event with historic tours costing around eleven bucks per person and gangster tours fetching roughly forty dollars.

Nearby attractions sprawl rather haphazardly around Wabasha Street Caves and visitors can easily combine a visit with pilgrimages elsewhere.Mississippi National River and Recreation Area beckons with rugged trails and sombre river vistas unfolding quietly beneath overhanging trees.

Saint Paul's Cathedral stands as a profound spiritual hub and striking architectural spectacle looming nearby with mystique and grandeur somehow.

James J lurked quietly beneath obscure aliases.

Hill House stands as a remarkable relic of a bygone era showcasing opulence characteristic of city's affluent railroad history somehow.

Wabasha Street Caves meld natural geology with industrial history and modern entertainment under a haze of Prohibition-era mystique pretty uniquely.

Layered history beneath their surface from sandstone quarry operation and mushroom farm subsequently turned gangster lair now renders them curiously alluring cultural hotspot.

They allow visitors an underground world teeming with stories and atmosphere serving as monument to Saint Paul's colorful past and venue for events nowadays.



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