An Illinois Cave Was Found in 1982 – Then It Vanished
Missouri might be known for having more than 8,000 caves, but there is one mysterious cave in Illinois that was supposedly discovered in the early 1980s—and no one has been able to locate it since.
What Was Supposedly Found Inside the Cave?
Known as Burrows Cave, the site was reportedly discovered in Southern Illinois in 1982 by Russell Burrows. He claimed the cave contained thousands of artifacts, carvings, and inscriptions from an ancient civilization that had visited North America.
You would think a discovery like that would have become famous throughout Southern Illinois and across the state. The problem? No one has been able to find the cave since Burrows claimed to have discovered it.
It's become one of the great mysteries of Illinois.
Why Can't Anyone Find Burrows Cave?
Many people, including archaeologists, believe the story was a complete hoax because of the lack of information Burrows provided at the time and the fact that there was never any physical proof that the cave actually existed.
Was Burrows Cave Ever Real?
Burrows said the cave was located somewhere near the Embarras River. However, after he described the incredible artifacts inside and several attempts were made to locate the cave, searchers came up empty-handed. Eventually, many people began to believe the entire story had been made up, although no one knows exactly why Burrows would have done it.
You would also think Burrows would have taken a camera with him or found some way to document his discovery and prove that the cave really existed. After all, 1982 wasn't exactly the Stone Age. There were cameras and other ways to document something as incredible as thousands of ancient artifacts and inscriptions.
The lack of photographic evidence and the inability to locate the cave are among the reasons many archaeologists believe Burrows Cave never existed.
Whether the cave was real or not, Burrows Cave remains one of Illinois' most intriguing mysteries to this day.
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