Forestville Mystery Cave State Park
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| Forestville Townsite--Meighan Store | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. Registered Historic District) | |
| Location: | Co. Hwy. 12 |
| Nearest city: | Preston, Minnesota |
| Architect: | Robert Foster; Felix Meighen |
| Added to NRHP: | April 13, 1973 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 73000976 |
Coordinates: Forestville Mystery Cave State Park is a Minnesota state park. It contains the village of Forestville which has been restored to a nineteenth century appearance. The Minnesota Historical Society operates it as a historic site. Below ground the park contains Mystery Cave, the longest cave in the state which is open to the public. The park is located near Preston, Minnesota.
Contents |
[edit] Mystery Cave
The park is in the Driftless Area, noted for its karst topography, which includes sinkholes and caves. The cave includes stalactites, stalagmites and underground pools, and is a constant 48 degrees Fahrenheit underground. There are over 12 miles of passages in 2 rock layers, encompassing approximately 3,170 acres.
[edit] History
About 2 to 5 million years ago there was material deposited as the land was covered intermittantly by shallow seas. Over the eons the alternating deposits of mud and oceanic debris were compressed to form limestone, shale and sandstone layers. Today, these layers are 1300 feet above sea level. Within the past few years, water eating away at the limestone has created sinkholes and miles of caves.
[edit] Wildlife
The park contains a range of wildlife, from relatively rare species such as glacial snails and timber rattlesnakes to common species such as deer, raccoon, beaver, mink, opossum, woodchuck, four species of squirrels, and red and grey fox. There have also been at least 175 species of birds recorded in the park. The South Branch of the Root River contains brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout.
