If you’ve spent any time around Cave Country Canoes, you know there’s always a story floating around somewhere. Sometimes it’s about a perfect day on the Blue River. Sometimes it’s about a trip that didn’t go quite as planned. And sometimes it’s about the people who have passed through here over the years. That’s really what this blog is about.
My name is Allison, and I’m part of the family currently behind Cave Country Canoes. I handle most of the marketing and social media for the business, but like most people involved in a family business, my role tends to stretch far beyond that. On any given day you might find me helping customers get ready for a trip down the river, working in the coffee shop, or wherever else an extra set of hands is needed.
The idea for this blog—The Current—started as a way to add more depth to our website, but before we ever really got started on it, it turned into something a little more meaningful. After years of listening to people share their memories of Blue River and Milltown, we realized there were too many great stories not to tell. So this space is for those stories.
Our Roots on the Blue River
Before getting into where the blog is going, it helps to understand a little about where Cave Country came from. Cave Country Canoes officially began in 1983 when Gordon Smith and Gary Roberson purchased the business. At the time, the two were partners who also owned nearby Marengo Cave, and the canoe rental naturally became part of the outdoor adventure opportunities surrounding the cave. But the story of canoeing on Blue River in Milltown goes back even further. Canoe outfitters have been operating here since at least the 1950s, with different businesses and owners running trips over the decades. Like many places tied closely to a river, the operation has changed and evolved through the years, eventually becoming the Cave Country Canoes people know today.
My mom, Sherri, first found her way here a few years later, in 1986, when she began working at nearby Marengo Cave. As a second-generation caver and lifelong adventurer, it was a natural fit. At that time, Marengo Cave and Cave Country Canoes were sister companies, both owned by Gordon and Gary, so she spent those years working intermittently between the two businesses in various roles.
A True Family Affair
Eventually she stepped away to pursue a career in Recreation Therapy, where she worked until 2016. That year she returned to help Gordon manage Cave Country Canoes, and not long after, my parents made the leap to purchase the business themselves – leaving their full-time careers to take on the adventure of running Cave Country together. Since then, it has very much become a family affair.
My dad, Derek, keeps the outdoor side of things running – overseeing river operations, maintenance, and just about everything in between that comes with running a canoe rental. In 2022, my parents expanded the business by opening Out of the Blue | Coffee & Ice Cream inside the Cave Country Canoes building. My sister, Summer, stepped in to manage the shop, leaving her corporate career to help develop and grow the space. Her creativity is unmatched, and she has built a menu that’s become a favorite for both locals and visitors alike. And like the rest of us, she is no stranger to jumping in wherever she’s needed around the business.
As for me, I followed a similar path in some ways, working at Marengo Cave and Cave Country from 2013 to 2018. These days I work full-time in tourism, while also helping out here at Cave Country.
My niece, Zuri (13), has already spent plenty of time helping around Cave Country. She’s worked in the equipment room, helped with off-season cleaning projects, and even spent an entire season learning to run the register. One of our longtime employees—a retired school teacher—patiently taught her how to count back change the old-fashioned way. My daughter, Mickey (2), isn’t quite big enough to see over the counter or carry a paddle just yet. But she has already claimed her role as the official ice cream taste tester at Out of the Blue, and never misses an opportunity to put her feet in the river. Growing up on Blue River is starting to take on a whole new meaning with this next generation.
Where The Current is Flowing
All of that history brings us to this blog. While many posts will be written by my mom and me, The Current won’t just be our voices. We plan to feature guest writers as well—people who grew up around Milltown, people who have worked here over the years, folks who love Blue River, and anyone with a good story to tell about this place. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that anyone who has spent a day on Blue River usually leaves with a story. And with a lifetime spent around this river, we’ve collected quite a few ourselves.
Coming Up: Our first story, FLOW, will be published later this week. It tells the story behind our new event, Tyler’s Trip, and how it came to be.
We hope this blog becomes a place where those stories can live – the adventures, the memories, and the small pieces of history that make places like Blue River and Milltown special.
Thanks for being here. We’re glad you found your way to The Current.
Allison B.
