The James Gang's Great Escape: A Solved Mystery

Have you heard the story of Jesse James and Frank James? After fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War, Jesse and Frank turned their talents to robbing banks and trains, with help from Confederate sympathizers in Missouri. However, on one fateful occasion, they managed to outwit a pursuing posse with their own striking ingenuity.

The Chase Begins in Stanton, Missouri

With their horses exhausted, Jesse and Frank knew they were no match for the newly mounted posse pursuing them. The sheriff, confident in the belief that he had cornered the notorious outlaws, believed that the cave they had brought the posse to would spell the end for Jesse and Frank. After all, the locals had assured him that the cave had only one entrance, wouldn't they be trapped inside with no supplies?

A Cavity of Traps and Tricks

Weeks passed, and the sheriff and the posse continued their vigil, eagerly anticipating a surrender or a final stand from Jesse and Frank. But the stalemate continued, and the sheriff grew increasingly suspicious. Speculations about traitors in the posse or an unescaped Jesse and Frank fueled his frustration, yet he maintained the search, waiting for the inevitable outcome.

When the posse finally stormed the cave, expecting to find Jesse and Frank holed up in the depths, they were shocked to find the entrance left undefended. No trace of the James boys could be found. How had they escaped?

An Untold Story of Drought and Discovery

The mystery continued for decades, until a moderate drought in 1941 brought a new dimension to the story. Cave guides noticed a change in a small pool of water, suggesting the possibility that a passage may exist under a "dead end" wall. A skilled spelunker confirmed their suspicions, uncovering a second network of underground passages leading to another cave entrance.

The newly-discovered cavern held artifacts linked to Jesse and Frank, including items from a 1874 train robbery, providing the smoking gun to a long-unsolved mystery. Local records and eyewitness accounts were pieced together, revealing Jesse and Frank's prior use of the cave as a base during the Civil War, and their discovery of the hidden passage during a period of severe drought.

With this newfound knowledge, the mystery of their great escape was finally revealed: long before the chase, Jesse and Frank had used the cave to store their loot and escape their enemies. Recognizing the perfect opportune moment, they plunged into the cold water, emerged on the other side of the wall, and made their way out through the second cave entrance, which only they knew about.

The Legacy of Meramec Caverns

The cave's escape route was eventually turned into a dance hall and later became a popular tourist attraction, renamed Meramec Caverns. The story of Jesse and Frank's ingenuity lives on, showcasing the enduring mystery and intrigue surrounding these legendary outlaws.