Since the 1840s the Wabasha Street Caves have played various roles in the history of St. Paul. The caves have been used to mine silica, grow mushrooms and served as a getaway for gangsters and ghosts. To explore the wonderful Wabasha Street Caves history and all their many uses, we took a Saturday morning historic tour to learn more about the colorful history of the sandstone caves.
Natural Caves
The historic tour of the Wabasha Street Caves covers all the creative uses people have found for this space. The mining of silica for the production of glass was one of the first uses for the caves. Miners, bore seven separate caves into the Mississippi River hillside searching for silica in the soft sandstone. In addition to silica, the caves have also been used the grow mushrooms. The natural temperature of the caves remains about 54 degrees year-round, making it ideal for mushroom growing and cheese storage.
Gangster Paradise
The tucked-away location of the caves made it an ideal place during prohibition years when the cave operated as the Wabasha Street Speakeasy. Notable gangsters like John Dillinger frequented the club in the sanctuary city of St. Paul. The cave tour highlights many thrilling stories of the speakeasy. My favorite was of a poker game that went south and ended in the death of three men. The fireplace still bears the marks of bullets from the Tommy guns involved in that incident.
Modern Caves
The cave tour also includes a visit to the renovated event space the cave is used as today. In the 1930s the Castle Royal Nightclub opened in the cave. When the caves were renovated in the 1990s, many of the original details were preserved. Corporate events, private parties and weddings are a few of the many events that happen in the caves each week.
The Wabasha Street Caves are a treasured piece of St. Paul’s history and the historic tour was an entertaining 45 minute summary of the cave’s high points. We recommend it and may even add it to our Minnesota Bucket List.
Happy Adventuring, Rochelle