Crystal Cavern(s), also known throughout the years as Alabama Caverns and McClu(n)ney Cave, is a small cavern containing crystal formations located in Clay, Alabama, USA.
History
The cavern was discovered in 1840 by a Thomas McCluney.
It was mined for saltpeter during the Civil War (1861 to 1865).
The cavern was a tourist attraction for Clay. It opened and closed in 1927 as Alabama Caverns, for up to 1045 people.
Geology
The cavern is part of the Chickamauga Limestone, lies approximately above the Copper Ridge Dolomite, It was reported in 1933 as extending as a narrow passage for 800 feet, with several right angle turns, Two named formations were the "Capitol Dome", part of a wall resembling the United States Capitol dome, and the "Family Loft", a high recess containing two large columns along with smaller stalagmites. Siliceous dolomite extruded from the walls and at one point formed a bridge. This was caused by a solution channel (a void in the limestone which allows passage of water) above and below the dolomite bed.
The cavern contained a spring in a pit which, in 1933, was about 20 feet above the water table,
Fauna
The cavern has been the sole reported location of the pseudoscorpion Aphrastochthonius pecki, described in 1968, and one of two local locations reported for Peck's cave snail (Glyphyalinia pecki), which was described in 1966. The McCluney cave cricket (Euhadenoecus insolitus), a regional species, was described in 1978 from a pair of specimens collected at the cavern by Peck in 1965.<!-- Peck = Stewart B. Peck? --> A white salamander was seen in the cave's pool by Walter B. Jones, however McCrady found the pool devoid of life, and believed the salamander to have accessed the cave via one of its many cracks.