History in Arkansas | Diamond Caves | Flashback Friday | Family History

Welcome back friends! Today we are doing a little #flashbackfriday action to our trip to Jasper, Arkansas last March. I find it funny because this was the longest road trip we have ever taken... And we took it in a Toyota Sienna. I told everybody we weren't getting a van, EVER. Despite the kids loving all of the room that they had and that the dogs had as well. What ended up happening? We came back home and we bought a van 🤣
Why Arkansas? You might ask. Well - you're about to find out! Follow along in our video as I narrate the backstory behind the Diamond Cave & the land that it sits on.
My Great (x3) Grandpa, Samuel Hudson, discovered the Diamond Cave & took down some bears while doing so. It was so awesome to share this place with my kids - I only wished we had been able to explore the actual caves like my mom and grandma did years ago. Tours had stopped by the time my mom was born but, they were allowed down in there when she was in her late teen years, since they were family. So there are photos of the caves included in this video!
We will be headed back to Arkansas & this spot as part of our two week road trip in May. If you want to see what this place looks like in the summer months, please make sure to subscribe to our Channel, as we will be sharing footage from that trip.
Thanks for watching friends!
#travel #roadtrip
Music: While We Were Sleeping
Musician: Vermos
URL: icons8.com/music

[@edalexander1432]

Thanks for the history of the wonderful place. In the mid 80s, this property was owned by the Pruitt family. (Pruitt Landing is named for them). We got permission from them to use the old farmhouse across the creek (now covered in weeds). We spent three vacations there, each centered around New Year's Eve. With Beral's help, we celebrated midnight inside the cave. It's an incredible place but, as you mentioned, the wiring is unsafe. I'm a nature photographer and have explored and photographed the Buffalo extensively. Five years ago I visited this area again, and took pictures that I passed on to the Pruitt family. Precious memories-thanks for filling in the history.

[@georgerobirts491]

This was my great great grandpa, as my grandpa was Alva Grey Hudson, and i actually have a couple pieces of the crystal stalagmites from there that were passed on from my mom to me when she passed away. Thaks for the great vidio.

[@trumangreen2845]

My wife and I, as a young couple, toured Diamond cave in the early 80’s. I remember the wooden steps/stairs leading down into the cave from the entrance, A string of bare bulb lights hung from the cave ceiling. Only one string of lights were turned at a time as the tour progressed through the cave. Lots of interesting formations throughout. The cave was not commercialized nearly as much as others in the state were at that time. And that was a good thing. Wish we could explore again.

[@ChristsAmbassadr]

As your mom, I was in this cave when I was 16years old. While in the belly of the mountain, the guide shut the lights off and you could not see your hand directly in front of your face. At the time it was said this cave could be connected to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. There was never another opening or an end found. The water in the cave was crystal clear and reflected itself. Such an awesome experience and even more so, being it was our ancestors who found it. Also the original internal wall of the Hudson shack was preserved at its original sight and a home was constructed around it by another Hudson descendant.

[@LittleMo777.]

My biology teacher took us on a two day science trip when we were in school and we toured Diamond Cave. That would have been about 1966? That was amazing to me. I had never been anywhere!

[@scottysworld700]

I was actually one of those tourist. I was like 12 years old at the time, it was the early 70's. The cave was so beautiful i never forgot about it. Today i am 61. So it has stayed with me a long time. Thanks for sharing !

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

Oh wow that's awesome! I wish we could have gone down in the caves too... It definitely sounds like an experience that would stick with you a lifetime!

[@mannacler]

I took a tour of this in 1964 with my family. It was incredible. I can't believe that this cave isn't still a tourist attraction.

[@bugdr262]

Andrew Hudson was my great great grandfather. It was my understanding that him and Samuel were brothers. I could certainly have that information incorrect as I'm not the genealogist in my family. Thanks for showing this video. I'd love to see it someday myself.

[@marymitchell4643]

We vacationed a lot in Jasper in the 80’s. Also camped at the Diamond cave. It was beautiful there and Me Beral and his wife were so nice and kept the campground clean with plenty of firewood. The kids always loved the swimming hole. The water was so crystal clear. My son Mark would help out with the tours while we were there. He and Mr Beral were like buddies. Such great memories. The cave was awesome. One time we took about 6 families from our church up to camp and swim and Wade in the creek beside the campground. Loved going into Jasper to eat breakfast at the little cafe. Can’t remember the name but such good food. Also enjoyed going to Dogpatch. It’s a shame that it’s closed down. Would love going back up there to reminisce.

[@bosmith6700]

Hi there! This is so cool to see, as it has been years since I was there with my grandmother, Lilah Hudson. We are cousins. Just subscribed to your channel. Thanks!

[@ozarklisa1199]

White building was a Cafe on top. The downstairs was a community entertainment room, had books and puzzles and games. The smaller building was the ticket office that Bonnie and Berlin used, Hubert Roberson later. Used to have a roller rink. If you went there in the 1970s you probably ate food my Mom cooked in the Cafe. I was the brown haired little girl sitting on top of the rock by the office. My grandpa, dad, sister guided tours there for years. Kilgore is our family name. I tagged along with every tour I could. I could probably give the tour still to this day. The duckwalk in the cave, I can't imagine the average person today being able to do it. Back then though women did it in dresses even!

[@heatherlittle6971]

Im a defendant of Samuel Hudson. One of my ancestors was a care taker of the diamond cave when it first opened there is also graves there.

[@maryconway5004]

My brother said this is cave we went into in the 80's. I'm not sure, but I remember a spot you had to crouch doy and almost walk like a duck.

[@DestinationArkansas]

That is so awesome I have driving by this many times and always wondered the history. I knew there was a cave on site. Thanks for sharing this.

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

Yes there is a cave on site but it is private property. So unless you know the property caretaker and he gives you permission to go find it, please respect the private property ☺️

[@DestinationArkansas]

@rootedraccoonhomestead well yea of course

[@viperscratchsquad]

This is so awesome! Samuel L. Hudson was also my great great great grandfather. My grandmother Betty Elizabeth Whisnant (Griffin) was the daughter of Grace W.F Harrison and Elzie Bunion Whisnant.

[@TomSmith-pr9sz]

This is the same story that my mom and grandma told us when we were young my grandmas maiden name was Dorothy Hudson

[@wheresthebeefwherestheprob9951]

Oh my goodness!! I've told my son about this cave and we looked for it when we took a vacation together and I was finally able to get back up there 2019. Sadly I found it wasn't operating any longer. It was an amazing cave I went with my mother when I was very little. Thank you so much for posting this!!! ❤

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

You're welcome!! Yeah they don't do tours anymore. We had to get special permission from the caretaker of the land to even go up there on the property. But if you ever find yourself back out there, going to town and talk to the sheriff and they'll tell you where Kirby Carlton is. He's a super nice guy

[@travisrayturner]

I was born and raised here and my family has been here since the very early 19th century, no one ever told me about this cave, thanks for sharing!

[@philliphudson3180]

Being a Hudson descendant. We heard stories of Sam adventures. We were in MT Judea a couple of years ago. Found my great grandfather's (Allen) grave at Buffalo Cemetery.

[@FrankHuynh]

Woah that cave looks spooky but very cool! thanks for this.

[@hesavedawretchlikeme6902]

There are many caves in this area of the Ozarks. When I was in my 20s, we did a lot of spelunking in caves in those ares. They do not need to be commercialized.

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

I agree & Sharing family history isn't commercializing them ☺️ besides... The only way to really find this place is if you know the area and have permission to get back on the land. Otherwise it's fenced off as private property. But because our family found these caves, we were given permission from the sheriff in town and the property caretaker to go on the property. Even then, we had a hard time finding the entrance to the cave itself. I highly doubt anybody is going to find this one specifically.

[@Glenda-LiveandLove]

I own the Hudson family chest that belonged to Floyd and Gracie.

[@DennisEHayes]

That would be a great property to metal detect on.

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

Yeah, unfortunately it's private property. But that's probably a good thing. Lord knows what just anybody would do being able to have free access to it 😬

[@AleciaReynolds]

Very Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

Glad you found in interesting! Happy to share ☺️

[@wishiwsthr]

Wow doe this bring back memories. My first job, back in 1973; I was a tour guide in Diamond Cave. It took close to 2 hours to do a tour. We could only do 3 or 4 tours a day, and made a whopping $3 per trip. I've told the Samuel Hudson story more times than I care to remember to thousands of spellbound tourists who probably had reservations about it's validity. Thanks for the virtual tour.

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

Were you really?! That's so awesome! My mom went back with my grandparents when she was 16 and did the tour but that would have been in 76. Were you still doing tours then? Heck, I'm family and had reservations about it's validity at first 😂

[@wishiwsthr]

@@rootedraccoonhomestead I worked there 73 and 74

[@paullepage9484]

I remember going there in the 70s. Pretty cave but I remember having g to do a very long duck walk in it. An ybody know what I'm talking about

[@wishiwsthr]

@@paullepage9484 I've hit my back on that ceiling soooo many times

[@wishiwsthr]

@@rootedraccoonhomestead No I moved to FL by then

[@hesavedawretchlikeme6902]

Was this "hotel" considered an Inn, instead of hotel? Considering the size and location. Love the area around Jasper, AR.

[@user-fk9hn6hk9o]

Back in the 80s we use to go on vacation here we went so many times mr Bearl would have our camp spot reserved we went like 8 times one year. I was about 12 and I use to walk behind the group turning the lights off behind us. To save electricity. I sure had a good time and I would like to get in touch with one of the guides his nsme was David

[@slayitstay4842]

Ooh I want to go there! That hotel is creepy!

[@rootedraccoonhomestead]

Yeah it's super spooky looking with all the bare trees around it too. Eeep! This part of Arkansas was just covered in a bunch of snow with the winter storms that went through and I would love to see it like that too 😍