Lost River - Karst Information Portal

Lewis D. Lamon:
Indiana’s Grand Ol’ Man of Caving,
NSS 2187–CIG
Photos FroLewis Denbo Lamon was born
in 1905 and died on June 9, 1990, in
Harrison County, Indiana. “Lewie,” as he
was affectionally known, was a caver. Lewie
did most of his caving in southern Indiana,
especially Harrison and Crawford counties.
But he also caved in Tennessee along with
his son Lewis David Lamon, as well as Roy
Davis, Tank Gorin, and many others. They
made numerous trips and discoveries in
Higgenbottom Cave (present day Cumberland
Caverns). Lewie was a contemporary of caver
Leo Schotter of Milltown. In those earlier days
of southern Indiana caving, Leo explored caves
north of present day I-64 and Lewie explored
caves pretty much south of I-64, although the
two did go caving together. Lewie resided in
the southern part of Corydon, within sight
of Fairgrounds Spring. This spring is one of
the main drains for Binkleys Cave, currently
Indiana’s longest cave. Lewie was involved in
much of the early exploration in Binkleys, and
was among the first to see the Mountain Room
there.
Lewie owned a hardware store in downtown
Corydon, Indiana. Outside his store hung a
placard that detailed services offered, such as:
keys made, screens repaired, and the like, but
prominently listed at the bottom was “NSS
2187 CIG,” a reference to his NSS number and
affiliation with the Central Indiana Grotto.
He predated Bob and Bob, and always carried
caver supplies such as helmets, rope, carbide
and carbide lights, gloves, and other caver
items at his store. Lewie loved caves and caving.
Anyone who knew or worked with Lewie soon
learned of his interest in caves, and if not was
By John Benton, NSS 10689F
Illustrations from the John Benton photo collection.
Langdons Cave 1938: Oliver Rothrock, John
Martin Hagwald, Hurst Miles, Frances Simler,
Lewie Lamon, Jack Parks (Lewie at top looking to
the left. Note the one-armed man).
pulled along on a caving trip or had to hear of
caving tales and cave passage, real or imagined.
Lewie became known as the local caving expert
and as farmers and landowners would come
into his store to buy needed hardware, tales
and information about local caves would be
exchanged. You would hear, for example, the
“pond on the Miles Farm that fell in,” or “that
hole on the bluff of Indian Creek that blows
cold air.” Many leads, both good and bad, were
237