▁c aves ▁as ▁a ▁hide out ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s . ▁However , ▁there ▁is ▁sc ant ▁historical ▁evidence ▁to ▁support ▁this ▁tradition . ▁One ▁legend ▁in ▁particular ▁claims ▁that ▁a ▁sh er iff ▁tracking ▁the ▁James es ▁sat ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁cave , ▁waiting ▁for ▁J esse ▁and ▁his ▁gang ▁to ▁emer ge ; ▁however , ▁they ▁had ▁found ▁another ▁exit . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁the ▁extended ▁cave ▁system ▁was ▁discovered , ▁reve aling ▁the ▁present ▁, ▁and ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁as ▁a ▁tour ist ▁att raction ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁by ▁L ester ▁B . ▁D ill , ▁who ▁invent ed ▁the ▁b um per ▁st icker ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁prom oting ▁the ▁ca ver ns . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Mer ame c ▁Ca ver ns ▁r ented ▁bill board ▁space ▁in ▁the ▁ca ver ns . ▁The ▁own ers ▁claimed ▁this ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁under ground ▁bill board ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁In ▁mid sum mer ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Mer ame c ▁Ca ver ns ▁provided ▁the ▁cave ▁settings ▁for ▁Tom ▁S aw yer , ▁a ▁musical ▁film ▁which ▁was ▁released ▁to ▁the aters ▁that ▁following ▁year . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁movie ▁Deep ▁Imp act ▁( film ) ▁a ▁reference ▁is ▁made ▁to ▁the ▁lim estone ▁c aves ▁of ▁Missouri ▁as ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁AR C ▁shelter . ▁ ▁Not ed