The land adjacent to Zane Shawnee Caverns was historically used as a thoroughfare by the
Shawnee, as it provided a
portage between the
Great Miami River and the rivers feeding into
Lake Erie (particularly the
Maumee River). The caverns were not generally known until they were discovered in 1892, when John Dunlap rescued a boy and a dog from a sinkhole. The caverns were named the
Zane Caverns, after the nearby village of
Zanesfield. The caverns were operated privately as a show cave throughout most of the 20th century. In 1996, the
Shawnee Nation, URB, an
unrecognized tribe who claim
Shawnee descent, purchased the caverns and surrounding land. They renamed the site as the Zane Shawnee Caverns. The URB continues to operate the caverns as a show cave. They established the
Shawnee Woodland Native American Museum, a
Native American museum, on the site near Bellefontaine. Its displays include an exhibit about
George Drouillard, a
mixed-blood Shawnee guide who was the chief hunter and interpreter for the
Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806. It explored the territory of the Louisiana Purchase and made it to the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River. Also on the cavern's site is "Southwind Park", a camping and retreat area. It is also used to host URB events. A small permanent settlement has been erected at the site. ==Inside==