▁the ▁be er ▁cool ▁during ▁the ▁summer . ▁ ▁C aves ▁in ▁Missouri ▁were ▁sometimes ▁used ▁by ▁crim inals ▁and ▁out la ws ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁ 2 0 th ▁centuries . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s , ▁Cl iff ▁C ave ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁J esse ▁James ▁C ave ▁( a ▁name ▁shared ▁with ▁other ▁c aves ▁in ▁Missouri ). ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁the ▁M ob ▁used ▁the ▁cave ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁to ▁disc ard ▁bodies . ▁ ▁A ▁ta vern ▁and ▁c afé ▁called ▁" G ir lies " ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁A ▁pool ▁of ▁cold ▁water ▁and ▁a ▁min eral ▁od or , ▁named ▁Sun ▁King ▁Pool , ▁was ▁s our ced ▁by ▁a ▁spring , ▁but ▁now ▁is ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁par king ▁lot . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁after ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁a ▁St . ▁Louis ▁County ▁Bond ▁Issue , ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁the ▁Cl iff ▁C ave ▁property ▁was ▁initi ated . ▁The ▁land ▁was ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁fund ing ▁was ▁matched ▁with ▁federal ▁ac quisition ▁dollars ▁from ▁the ▁Land ▁and ▁Water ▁Conserv ation ▁Fund ▁and ▁other ▁ag encies . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁property ▁was ▁acquired . ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁Cl iff ▁C ave ▁Park ▁was ▁officially ▁opened