In this news article, Michael Mixerr finds what is Stillhouse Cave in Austin, Texas. This news article will discuss what rare species of insects inhabit this cave, natural resources, and the current status of this cave. Stillhouse Cave is also known as Stillhouse Hollow Cave, Stillhouse Nature Cave, Wash Cave, Hideout Cave, and Cotterell Cave.
Stillhouse Cave is a city-owned cave that is located on a nature preserve called Stillhouse Hollow Nature Preserve which is owned by the City of Austin. The quietness and isolation of this cave is one of the few remaining beauties of rural Travis County that is left. (Ref: ftp://ftp.austintexas.gov/GIS-Data/WCD/WCD/Req/The_Caves_of_the_Balcones_Conservation_Plan.pdf)
There is an entrance to Stillhouse Cave near 2 apartment complexes owned by Caprock Canyon Apartments. However this entrance has been filled with rocks by the City of Austin and neighbors. This entry could lead or could have lead to Stillhouse Cave or Cotterell Cave at one point.
Now finding this cave is not very difficult due to the low volume and abundance of rock formations. Finding this cave is very easy overall because this cave is located in a pit behind a low abundance of cedar brakes and dense juniper. It is easy to navigate through the cedar brakes and dense juniper to get to the entrance of this cave.
The cave entrance is a 1 foot deep single which drops 18 feet into one extended room about 60 feet long and 20 feet long. Entering this cave can be hazardous because of fire ants and vertical angling. A large juniper root penetrates the ceiling of the cave. So watch out. There is moisture in the cave. Caving equipment is required to enter the cave. (Ref: Texas Cave Survey, Vol 1, No 3, Page 19)
Stillhouse Cave itself is really only a half cave at the head of a little canyon arid from Its floor bubbles the spring that supplies a small stream flowing the edge of the cave and down the canyon. Old timers say that this spring has never been known to go dry. (Ref: Austin American, Seeing The Sights In Travis County, December 11, 1921)
The soil contains nitrate concentrations which are higher than the average soil nitrate concentration ranges. The average soil nitrate concentration ranges from 8.3 to 17.6 mg/Kg while the soil nitrate level of soil from Cotterell Cave is 21.2 mg/Kg. An abundance of spring water was found running inside of this cave. (Ref: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/LitCited/4TX_Sal/Turner_2005_SR_05_06_Potential_Sources_for_High_Nitrates_in_Stillhouse_Hollow_Spring.pdf)
History for Stillhouse Cave dates back to at least the 1860s. The production of moonshine and beer first started in this cave in 1860. Bull Creek provided necessary ingredients for bootlegging operations, the production of moonshine, and charcoal made from cedar to fuel the stills Bull Creek provided caves necessary and needed to hide production. Spring water from Bull Creek was used for the production of moonshine and beer. Moonshine was profitable for many living on Bull Creek during that time. (Ref: https://txcompost.blogspot.com/2018/04/stillhouse-hollows-white-lightning.html)
Moonshiners were using this cave for bootlegging liquor and alcohol as early as the 1860s. A gangs of moonshiners had prospered there throughout the 1860s. Beer stills were kept in this cave as Moonshiners used these caves to hide production. Bootleggers used this cave also to hide their products. Stillhouse Cave served as a home and the location of an illicit distillery. Moonshiners were reported to have prospered there until 1923. (Ref: https://www.texasspeleologicalsurvey.org/PDF/TSS_Volume1/TSS%201(1)%20compressed.pdf)
However law enforcement officials would soon catch up with bootleggers and moonshiners as they caught on to their illegal activities. Moonshine production was illegal even before prohibition.
A famous raid and shoot-out between bootleggers and federal officers would occur in 1861. However that 1861 raid didn’t put an end to moonshine production in Stillhouse Cave and along Bull Creek. Bootlegging operations still continued.
Austin American-Statesman reported that Stillhouse Cave at the head of Still house Canyon in Travis County was the site of a bootlegging operation in 1861. “Federal Revenue Officers” from the IRS raided and had a shoot-out with moonshiners in Bull Creek's Stillhouse Canyon and Stillhouse Cave. Federal officers were busy along Bull Creek trying to locate the source from which certain residents of Austin were receiving their supply of moonshine. A beer still in operation in cave known as Stillhouse Cave. (Ref: The American Statesman, Where Once Moonshine Outfit flourished. Ancients Spin Yarn. Tell of Battle With Federal Revenue Officers Staged 60 Years Ago, 1921)
“Federal officers were busy along Bull Creek trying to locate the source from which certain residents of Austin were receiving their supply of moonshine. They found Stillhouse Springs which to this day bear that name, and there, also, they found a still in operation in a sort of half-cave which is known as Stillhouse Cave. This moonshine mixture was reputed to be triple-distilled and was guaranteed to have 'some kick'".
Stillhouse Cave was used to wage guerrilla warfare against the Confederate home guard and Confederate Army. Dick Preece “turned caves into citadels which belched mountain death” against soldiers. Stillhouse Cave was part of the caves of Bull Creek used by soldiers from 1863 to 1865. (Ref: The Cedar Choppers: Life on the Edge of Nothing, Page 36)
After the American Civil War during the 1870s is when the cave was well known and frequently visited by people. They would often explore around in the woods and shrubbery surrounding the cave. The production of moonshine still continued as the cave was still used to hide alcohol.
An article in The American Statesman newspaper from 1921 ran with the headlines "Stillhouse Springs Where Once Moonshine Outfit flourished. Ancients Spin Yarn. Tell of Battle With Federal Revenue Officers Staged 60 Years Ago". (Ref: The American Statesman, Where Once Moonshine Outfit flourished. Ancients Spin Yarn. Tell of Battle With Federal Revenue Officers Staged 60 Years Ago, 1921)
“Three-score years ago Federal officers were busy trying to locate the source from which certain residents of Austin were receiving their supply of moonshine. They found Stillhouse Springs which to this day bear that name, and there, also, they found a still in operation in a sort of half-cave which is known as Stillhouse Cave. This moonshine mixture was reputed to be triple-distilled and was guaranteed to have 'some kick'. It was about million-proof alcohol and when poured into a glass it looked as innocent as water in regard to Stillhouse moonshine, for it had a kick that would make a blaze-faced mule turn green with envy.”
Stillhouse Cave still served as a home and the location of an illicit distillery. Moonshiners were reported to have prospered there until 1923 when illicit distillers and bootleggers were shut down by the federal government. All bootlegging activities came to stop as law enforcement officials would soon catch up with bootleggers and moonshiners as they caught on to their illegal activities. Moonshiners and bootleggers would no longer prosper or thrive there.
Federal agents from the IRS and state officers (Texas DPS) raided the cave in 1923. 6 gallons of ‘white lightning’ and a veritable nest of illicit beer stills were discovered among things that were recovered. Gun play soon broke out between moonshiners and officers which led to the annihilation of the illicit distillers. News about this raid appeared in the headlines of The American Statesman newspaper. (Ref: The American Statesman, Caves In Bull Creek Hills Furnish Safe Retreats For Moonshine Gangs; Officers Get Clue To Nest Of Stills, 1923)
“Capture of an alleged bootlegger and six gallons of ‘white lightning’ led to the location of a veritable nest of illicit stills in the Bull Creek hills. A vast quantity of Bull Creek moonshine finds its way into local cellars of the Bull Creek ‘hillbillies’ … One canyon which empties into Bull Creek northwest of Austin derived its name ‘Stillhouse Canyon,’ through having been many years ago the location of an illicit distillery. At the head of this canyon is a cave known to this day as ‘Stillhouse Cave.’ A gang of moonshiners is said to have prospered there until about sixty years ago, when federal revenue and state officers paid a surprise visit, which resulted in gun play and the annihilation of the illicit distillers.”
However the production of moonshine still continued as the cave was still used to hide alcohol until 1925. The cave was well known and frequently visited prior to being gated and fenced off. Residents in the Mesa Hills neighborhood would often visit this cave and explore around the forest.
City of Austin purchased the property which Stillhouse Cave was located and converted the land into a nature preserve called Stillhouse Hollow Nature Preserve in 1995. Stillhouse Hollow Nature Preserve would become a public park and nature preserve later that year. Stillhouse Cave would be gated and fenced in by the City of Austin in 1995.
Today Stillhouse Cave remains locked and is only accessible by arranging a tour with the City of Austin. The City of Austin only gives public tours of Stillhouse Cave twice a year. The cave is gated and locked because there are endangered species of insects living inside. No one will be able to get in.
Stillhouse Cave is located at the address of 7810 Sterling Drive, Austin, Texas, US 78759. The other entrance for Stillhouse Cave is located at the address of 4411 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, Texas, US 78759.
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