Bev Stayart's Schools

• University of Chicago , Class of 1981 MBA in Finance and Marketing

• University of Iowa , Class of 1969 Bachelors in English Literature The English Department of the University of Iowa has a nationally acclaimed Writer’s Workshop. I studied English Literature while at the University of Iowa, where I earned my B.A. I also studied linguistics and anthropology.

Bev Stayart's Publications

• Two Caving Expeditions, Bev Stayart August, 2011 By: Bev Stayart Beginning in my childhood, caves have always fascinated me as dark and mysterious places with elements of risk and danger. Two such caves are Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and Mark Twain’s Cave in Missouri, both of which I have toured. Mammoth Cave, located in south central Kentucky, is the longest cave in the world. It contains more than 350 miles of mapped passages. Over 12,000 years ago, the “PaleoIndians,” or ancient Indians, are believed to have discovered the cave because their spear points have been found in Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave today is a premier “show cave,” that is, a cave in which guided tours are conducted for the general public. In fact, Mammoth Cave was one of the very first sites of American tourism. Mammoth Cave predates all of the other national parks. Originally known as Flatt’s Cave, it opened for tours in 1810. In 1816, it became nationally known. Fully established as a national park in 1941, only 40 miles of passageway were surveyed at that time. During my tour of Mammoth Cave, I was impressed by the towering caverns inside the cave and the various forms of animal life. I saw bats and salamanders as my tour group went deeper into the cave. I was grateful I had brought my flashlight, and so were the people around me, because the illumination provided by the tour guides proved insufficient, especially when crawling through tunnels. I did not take the longest tour, which included a boat trip on the River Styx, a semi-subterranean waterway in the cave. I will include this in my itinerary the next time I visit Mammoth Cave. Another fascinating show cave I have toured is Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, Missouri. Discovery of the cave is attributed to Jack Simms during the winter of 1819-1820. His dog chased an animal (believed to be a panther) into an opening of the cave. Later, Jack came back with lighted torches to investigate further and discovered a large underground labyrinth. Mark Twain Cave boasts a colorful folklore history. Jesse James, a former Confederate soldier, was likely aware of the location of the cave because it had been used as a Confederate weapons storehouse during the Civil War. Many years later, after Jesse James robbed a train near Saverton, Missouri, in September, 1879, he hid out in the cave for a few days. He inscribed his signature and date on the cave wall. His signature and the date are still visible today.

Bev Stayart's Links