In 1862, a farmer discovered a cave entrance and this would ultimately be the site of the country?s only ?ride-through? cave, the Fantastic Caverns. Five years after the cave?s discovery, a dozen Springfield female locals had explored the cave after answering a newspaper ad. Their names remain etched on the cave?s walls today.

To ensure that the natural beauty of the underground world in the Fantastic Caverns remains unspoiled, guests are toured around the site in a jeep-drawn tram.

The Fantastic Caverns regularly hold various school programs to provide additional entertainment for their young visitors. In early 2011, the family-owned business had launched the CSI: Fantastic Caverns program. It comes with an Underground Classroom that features a ?cave crime scene?, complete with hairs, lint, skin oils and all other human-generated pollution that can harm caves. Besides the presence of ?investigators? to teach students about the cave, the setting is also lined with crime scene tape and possesses evidence markers for a more ?authentic? feel.