Crystal Cave was discovered in 1881 by local farm boys, William and George Vanasse. The discovery occurred while William and George were in the woods just a short distance from their home. They were chasing a small animal when it suddenly disappeared down a hole. The brothers probed and pushed with a stick which suddenly slipped from their grasp, disappearing into the ground.
It was improved upon later: Crystal Cave was developed, or commercialized by Henry A. Friede, an advertising agency manager and amateur geologist from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Mr. Friede had been interested in caves for some time and had studied many possible sites in the Spring Valley/Elmwood/Plum City area, hoping for a discovery equal to that of Blue Mounds (now Cave of the Mounds) or the caves near Harmony, Minnesota (Mystery Cave and Niagara Cave).
