Last Wednesday, Richard Zimmerman, also known as Dugout Dick, passed away at his home - in a cave - at the age of 94.After serving in World War II, Mr. Zimmerman settled in the wilderness of central Idaho to begin prospecting near the Salmon River. After sometime working in the hills he had created a network of more than a dozen caves.
He rented out the ones he didn't live in by the day or by the month and serenaded his tenants with tunes plucked out on a battered old guitar.
His off-the-grid lifestyle garnered international publicity, including a feature in National Geographic and invitations to appear on "The Tonight Show."
An attorney in Salmon, Idaho, who once helped Mr. Zimmerman evict a cave tenant who fell behind on his $15 monthly rent, said "He's the most well-known person in our county since Sacajawea."
You can read the full article on this colorful character by clicking here.
Here's a link to the Idaho Stateman article.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Hiking Tours