Wabasha Street Caves || July 29, 2023 |
Join us Saturday, July 29, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Wabasha Street Caves for an afternoon of elegance, fun, and history. Your ticket will include entrance to the club, complimentary hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, tours of the historic caves led by a costumed guide, and a chance to socialize with others in the Miss Fisher community. |
A speakeasy in a cave? Yes! In the 1840s some 50 caves were dug from the sandstone bluffs along the Mississippi river in St. Paul to mine silica for glass making. Later these caves were used to brew beer and mushroom farming until prohibition when the enterprising owners saw an opportunity for a new business and opened illegal drinking establishments deep within the caves. The Wabasha Street Speakeasy proved so popular that when prohibition lifted customer’s clamored for a finer place to gather. A bandstand and large dining rooms were dug out of the cliffs to create Castle Royal, the world’s only completely subterranean nightclub. Cab Calloway, the Dorsey Brothers, and other big names played the bandstand while poker and craps games took place in the back caves. Famous gangsters such as John Dillinger, Ma Barker and Baby Face Nelson were said to frequent the nightclub, adding an element of glamor and danger. Rumors of the never solved murder of three Chicago area gangsters persist to this day. |
To cap off the Miss Fisher Convention, we’re creating a speakeasy experience at the site of the nightclub exclusive to Con attendees. This event will require a separate registration from con, and a fee of $55/person. There are a limited number of tickets available, so get yours before they’re gone! Please note: We will have to provide attendance numbers for catering before con begins - you will not be able to register for this event at con. |