If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a caveman, now might be your best shot. The Kickapoo Indian Caverns in southwestern Wisconsin are up for sale.
The showcase caves are some of the largest in the state, and feature all the amenities you expect from a cave: stone walls, stalagmites and the occasional bat.
Hundreds of years ago, the caverns were used by indigenous Wisconsin tribes. Starting in 1947, they became a tourist destination, where people could pay to get a guided tour of several cave rooms. All public tours ended in 2011, and now the property in Wauzeka is in need of improvement.
“It needs some TLC,” says Seth Adams, one of the owners of Adams Auction and Real Estate, the company selling the property.
The road leading up to the caverns is in need of repairs, as are the picnic area and souvenir shop. The site includes 83 acres of land, which hasn’t been logged in a century. Despite the abundance of trees, the owners don’t plan on selling the land to companies who are purely interested in its timber.
“I wouldn’t want to see someone just go in there and log the land, and I know the family that owns the caverns presently does not want to see that,” says Adams. “It’s part of the majestic look. You walk back in time because it’s almost untouched. It’s just peaceful and priceless.”
Adams says he’s hopeful that the next owners will continue showing the caverns to the public, so future generations can enjoy the caverns like his generation. And while caves may be synonymous with some fear-inducing wildlife, it seems the Kickapoo Indian Caverns are not plagued by any undesirable vermin.
“I think I’ve seen two or three bats, but nothing where it’s just a solid wall of bats,” says Adams. “I’m actually scared of bats, so that’s a good thing.”
