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Ellinwood Cave was named for Capt. John Ellinwood, chief civil engineer and surveyor for the AT & SF. He was the town's first merchant selling whiskey and tobacco.
Most of the immigrants built a coal storage ditch in front of their house and covered it by wooden planks so it could be used as a sidewalk. There are some rumors that the tunnels became a refuge during the anti-German hysteria at the time of World War I.
The ditches became obsolete as coal storage, when in the 1930s the gas boom began. The tunnels were used as underground sidewalks and ran at both sides of Main Street for 2 blocks. This allowed the ladies to cross the street without wading through the mud.
Today 3 parts of the tunnels are still open. The part under the Dick Building is open to the public. It was sold to the Ellinwood Museum Association in 1992, which still offers guided tours. |
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