After seven years of research and writing, a new comprehensive history of Timpanogos Cave has been published.

The book will make its debut to the public on Nov. 28 at a special presentation at the cave.

Cami Pulham, who has worked at the cave for the past 13 years, wrote the book, pulling historic information from every source she could track down.

"I was able to find letters surrounding the discovery of the cave, and how it was made into a monument," she said. "I read through every archive and letter I could find. I tracked down family members and every whiff or reference I could find. ... I was very concerned that what I was writing was as close to the truth as I could make it."

Pulham said she wrote under the weight of knowing that if she didn't get it right, any mistakes in her version -- because it is the only comprehensive history that has been penned -- would likely become the accepted history.

"Most people aren't going to look as hard as I did," she said with a laugh. "What I tried to do was not to give every single detail of every event, but enough that they understand. And if they really want to know the down-and-dirty details, every paragraph and almost every sentence has a reference. People can fact-check me all they want."

The book could not come out at a better time. Arlo Shelley, an ardent cave enthusiast and historian who worked at the cave for 57 seasons, and who was arguably the last living link to much of the cave's modern history, died on Halloween Day. Shelley first visited the cave in 1938, on a tour with his fourth-grade class. As a ranger and guide, he worked with the very first superintendent, who managed the cave from 1926-1969.

Chief Ranger Mike Gosse said he wanted the book to come out just days after Thanksgiving as a nod of appreciation to all those people -- historic and modern -- who worked to make the cave what it is today.

"A lot of the local citizens have ties to the cave discoverers and miners who work up the canyon," he said. "We thought that with Thanksgiving, it is a time to be thankful for family and friends."

The book "is certainly the most comprehensive book out on the market covering American Fork Canyon and the cave," he said. The book was paid for by a $30,000 National Parks Service grant, and it is part of a program that documents the history of all national parks and monuments.

The book goes on sale on Nov. 28 and initially will only be available at the cave visitor's center. Priced at $12.95, the book includes not only history but historic photographs as well.

Related

• Deadly rock slab at Timp Cave prompts new exit trail