Alabaster Caverns State Park Attracts Tourists to Freedom, OK, Frontier Spirit and Hospitality Brings Them Back

Undoubtedly the main attraction of Alabaster Cavern State Park is the three quarters of a mile lantern-light tour of the alabaster cavern. Alabaster is a form of Gypsum that rarely occurs in nature. Selenite crystals of gypsum can be seen glittering throughout the cave. Huge boulders of pink, white and black alabaster fill the cave. This is the largest such natural gypsum cave that is open to the public on the planet.

Tours are held daily each hour from 9am to 4pm, with an extended schedule in summer. People should visit the cave prepared for a good walk and cooler temperatures that average 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Those with respiratory of heart problems are discouraged from touring the cave, as well as those with serious cases of claustrophobia.

Five species of bats live in the cave and in the evening enormous bat migrations can be witnessed in the park.

The first recorded exploration of the cave took place in 1889. Charles Grass, who bought the land in 1928, sold it to the State of Oklahoma in 1953. Later, the State established this 200-acre park.

The park has many more attractions including another 5 caves that can be explored (with a permit from the park pending that the interested party has adequate safety equipment), hiking, camping, volleyball and horseshoes. Canyon trails and nature trails are also waiting to be explored. During the summer, a swimming pool is open on Wednesday through Sunday.

Alabaster Caverns State Park is located just to the south of Freedom Oklahoma (about 130-miles northeast of Oklahoma City). Freedom was settled along the Cimarron River and is most known for its granite memorial to the Cimarron Cowboy. The monument is a series of etchings that depict the settling of the area by the early cowhands and lists the names of many of the area cowboys. The idea for the monument arose in 1947.

Freedom Open Rodeo and Old Cowhand Reunion is held. This self-proclaimed biggest open rodeo in the west is a sixty year old tradition which includes all of the big rodeo events \t "_blank" .

On the Saturday of the rodeo "The Great Freedom Bank Robbery and Shootout'' is staged by residents on the main Street, still reminiscent of an old west town. The robbery and shoot out enactment is performed on a volunteer basis as part of the town spirit and sense of community that is still alive in this old frontier town.

Deer, quail and wild turkey continue to roam the surrounding habitat and like any true frontier town both fishing and hunting are major pastimes.