Branson Area --Marvel Cave Postcards
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Click on Pictures to Enlarge

     The Osage Indians called this cave, near Branson, Missouri, Devil's Den. Local residents changed the name to Marble Cave after explorers in 1869 reported (incorrectly) that the cave walls were of  marble. In 1893 William Henry Lynch bought the cave and opened to for public tours. Lynch died in 1927, but his daughters, who soon changed the name to Marvel Cave, operated the cave and other tourist attractions until 1950. In the early 1950s Hugo Herschend leased the cave for 99 years. In 1960 the Herschend family introduced the Silver Dollar City theme park. built around the cave. The cave plays an important role in Harold Bell Wright's novel, "The Shepherd of the Hills." For more information about the cave click here and here.

Click to enlarge Marvel Cave brochure from about 1930. Courtesy of Japheth Campbell.
Marble Cave (to 1927)
	1. Entrance of Marble Cave. AZO. gc
	2. Entrance, Marble Cave. AZO. gc
	3. Batt (sic) Room, Marble Cave. AZO. gc
	4. White Throne, Marble Cave.  ["White Throne" is an earlier name for what is now called "Liberty Bell."] gc
	5. Spring Room Sentinel, Marble Cave. gc
	6. Cathedral Room, Marble Cave. AZO. gc
	7. Sphinx Nose, Marble Cave. Courtesy Larry Allen.
	8. White Throne, Hall Photo Co. 106 Hall Photo Co. AZO arrows up and down. Along the back edge it says "Marble Cave Stone Co. Mo. Series" [Stone County, Missouri.] Courtesy Larry Allen.
Marvel Cave (after 1927)
	9. Lynch Home at Marvel Cave. AZO. gc
	10. Cave Lodge, Marvel Cave Camp, Notch, Mo. Courtesy Larry Allen. May be same structure as above, with additions?
	11. Marvel Cave Office on Hy. 80. Shepherd of the Hills Country, MO. C-475. eb
	12. Marvel Cave Lodge Cafe. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	13. Marvel Cave Lodge from South Garden. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	14. Tea Room, Gift-Shoppe Camp, Marvel Cave, Payne, Branson. (Postmarked at Garber, MO, 1928. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	15. (blank, nothing on back either). AZO. (See next card for identification) gc
	16. The Kewpie Lake or Head of Waterfall, Marvel Cave, Branson, MO. (reverse: White River Art Station, A. K. Bishop, Branson, MO) C.T. American Art.  gc
	17. Marvel Cave Shepherd of the Hills Country 375106 (C) L. L. Cook. gc
	18. Waterfall on Lost River, Marvel Cave on Highway 80, Shepherd of the Hills Country, Mo. Copyright 1939, M. and G. Lynch,  C-473
	19. Fountain of Youth, Marvel Cave on Hy-80 Shepherd of the Hills Country, MO   C-464. gc
	20. "Liberty Bell" Marvel Cave on Highway 80.  Shepherd of the Hills Country, MO.  Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	21.  The Sentinel, Marvel Cave on Highway 80, 8 miles West of Branson, MO. T-70.  Copyright 1951, Marvel Cave Assn., Inc. Courtesy Dave Hadsell.
	22. Spring Room Sentinel, Marvel Cave on Hy-80 Shepherd of the Hills Country, MO   C-465   (C) M. and G. Lynch 1939. gc
	23. © M. and G. Lynch - 1939, Entrance to Great Cathedral Room, Marvel Cave on Hy. 80  Shepherd of The Hills Country Mo.  C-462All Rights Reserved - The L.L. Cook Co.  Milwaukee.  Photo Courtesy Dave Hadsell. [gc]
	24. Entrance--Marvel Cave.  120 Hall Photo Co.  Photo Courtesy Dave Hadsell. Note: There is obviously something strange about this card since George Hall quit taking photos and moved to moved to Illinois in 1921 or 1922 — five years before the name was changed from Marble Cave to Marvel Cave. My guess is that someone else published the card after 1927, using a photo taken before 1921 by George Hall.
	25. Arrowhead entrance to Egyptian Room Marvel Cave on HY. 80 Shepherd of the Hills Country, MO. C-468. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	26. (Cathedral Room) Marvel Cave, Shepherd of the Hills Country, 175108   Courtesy Larry Allen.
	27. (Liberty Bell) Marvel Cave, Branson, Mo.  83 B.  Courtesy Larry Allen.
	28. The Sphinx, Marvel Cave, ©Waltz.  Courtesy Larry Allen.
	29.  Marvel Cave, ©Waltz Studio.  (AZO stampbox) Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	30. The Waterfall. Marvel Cave on Hy. 80 - 8 miles West of Branson, MO D-72. ©1951 Marvel Cave Assoc, Inc. L.L. Cook. Courtesy Larry Allen
	31. Harold Bell Wright Studio, Marvel Cave, at the bottom of Grand Canyon, Branson, Mo. gc
	32. Harold Bell Wright Studio, Marvel Cave. ©Waltz. Courtesy Rick Gunter. Rick adds: "This is supposed to be the original “Devil Head” or Bald Knobber mask that Harold Bell Wright made from clay when he was explored Marvel Cave. There is another clay face visible in the photo, as well as a triangle and other symbols."
	33. "Liberty Bell"--Giant Stalagmite, Marvel Cave. Payne. Branson, Mo. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	34. Entrance to Marvel Cave, Payne, Branson MO. AZO. Courtesy Larry Allen
	35. Marvel Cave, Branson, Mo. Foil card.
	36. Hibernating in Marvel Cave, Reed's Spring, Mo. A-62. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
	37. Three Wise Men in Travertine [?] Rock [?], Marvel Cave - Payne Photo. Courtesy Dave Hadsell
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Last updated 01/17/08