Ruby Falls

By Ruby Falls LLC and Jeanne Crawford

With its storied history and inspiring geology, Ruby Falls is a chosen destination for half a million adventure seekers from around the world each year. Found in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the iconic towering waterfall, irreplaceable cave formations, and sweeping views instill wonder as much today as when the cave opened to the public in 1930. The attraction's endearing longevity began in 1928 with its accidental discovery by cave enthusiast Leo Lambert. While excavating an elevator shaft to reach another Lookout Mountain cave, his work crew felt a gust of air when the shaft intersected an opening concealed by limestone, 260 feet belowground. Curious where the opening would lead, Lambert scrambled through the void and began what would become a 17-hour journey, 1,120 feet underground, through an undiscovered cave with a magnificent waterfall. Soon after, Lambert decided to name the waterfall in honor of his wife, Ruby. Ruby Falls has long been considered the tallest underground waterfall open to the public in the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Aug 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781439667606

Ruby Falls LLC

A hallmark of every visit to Ruby Falls includes interaction with the staff whose adventurous spirit, whimsy, and charismatic southern charm delight visitors. Ruby Falls, LLC, is committed to cave conservation and environmental safeguards, ensuring future generations will be inspired by its beauty. As the first attraction in the United States to earn certification from Green Globe International, Ruby Falls is a leader in tourism sustainability and environmentally sensitive business practices.

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LLC.

INTRODUCTION

It was an unlikely chemist from Indiana who ushered in a new age of exploration with an accidental discovery deep within Lookout Mountain. The discovery of Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the legacy it created are both remarkable and endearing. It is a tale of unlikely odds, love, and determination.

The story begins with a young man following his heart. Leo Lambert and Ruby Losey began dating as high school classmates in Gary, Indiana. After graduation, Leo was working as a chemist when Ruby moved with her family to Chattanooga, Tennessee. After a short time apart, Leo decided to follow Ruby and relocated to Chattanooga, where the couple married in 1916. Continuing his work as a chemist, Leo enjoyed exploring his new surroundings.

Leo learned of the rich history and folklore surrounding a local cave visible from the Tennessee River. Lookout Mountain Cave was well known to locals through centuries of use, first by Native Americans, followed by later visits for clandestine meetings, then as a hospital during the Civil War, and a legendary hideout for moonshine runners. Leo was dismayed to find only the first 20 feet of the cave was publicly accessible. In 1905, Southern Railroad Company intersected the cave to build a much-needed railway tunnel through Lookout Mountain, closing off the remainder of the cave. Driven by his desire for all to have access to explore and learn from its distinguished history, Leo was determined to re-open Lookout Mountain Cave.

After spending years researching various methods to access the cave, Leo came to an unusual solution in 1928 and traveled back to Indiana to share his plan with potential investors. The investors agreed to fund Leo’s plan to excavate an elevator shaft descending 420 feet into the solid limestone of Lookout Mountain, giving access to the long-sealed cave.

With financing secured, Leo bought the land above Lookout Mountain Cave and excavators began drilling the shaft in the fall of 1928. Progress was slow but steady as crews drilled around the clock, removing five feet of limestone every 24 hours. In late December, the team was 260 feet into the mountain when they hit a void in the rock and felt a rush of air escape.

The workers excitedly called the Lambert home, leaving an urgent but vague message with Leo’s young daughter. Leo rushed to the excavation site thinking something terrible had occurred. After arriving, he quickly realized the opposite. The 18-inch tall, five-foot wide opening in the rock was a passage to the unknown inside the mountain.

The following day, December 30, 1928, Leo led a small group of explorers into the darkness through the tight opening. By the time they emerged from the opening 17 hours later, Ruby was certain that Leo and the others had met their deaths. Instead, Leo returned exhausted and exhilarated by what they had discovered hidden inside the mountain.

Leo enthusiastically recounted how they crawled on their bellies inside a confining passage for six hours before the tunnel opened to a place where they could stand. They explored sections of the cavern with flowing underground streams and remarkable active geological formations. Moving further into the cavern, they heard the distant sound of rushing water. Following the sound, Leo hurried forward, falling when the floor elevation dropped beneath his feet. A thick layer of mud cushioned his landing. After picking himself up, the now dimming light of his carbide lamp reflected off a glimmer of falling water. Once the others made their way into the passage, their combined lights could just make out a plunging waterfall right in front of them. Eager to report on their findings, the group slowly made their way back to the anxious group assembled