Cave History

Robber’s Cave has been a source of entertainment and folklore in Nebraska for over 150 years. Initially enlarged and used to store lager for Lincoln’s first brewery, the cave legally and illegally became a popular place for social gatherings through much of the 20th century. Thousands of etchings now cover every inch of the 5,600 square feet of sandstone tunnels solidifying the presence of innumerable visitors through the decades.

For years, access has been denied to the infamous and notorious Robber’s Cave. Now, Lincoln, Nebraska’s, only underground attraction is no longer shrouded in mystery. Whether you visited Robber’s Cave legally or illegally, are learning about it for the first time, or are one of the thousands who have returned to the sandstone tunnels for a trip down memory lane, you will enjoy discovering all aspects of the cave’s fascinating past on a cave tour with Joel Green, author of ROBBER’S CAVE: Truths, Legends, Recollections.

Green, a local teacher and tour guide, tracks the cave’s ownership through the past century and beyond, which has included colorful characters to say the least. From the legends of use by Central Plains Indians, Jesse James, and the Underground Railroad, to factual uses by Lincoln’s first brewery, Coxey’s Army, and the Ku Klux Klan, Green not only examines the geological and man-made origins of the cave, but he includes entertaining anecdotes he has collected from guests as well.