BANGOR, Alabama - No Odd Travels Road Trip would be complete without a stop at a spooky cave that was once a speakeasy but I have to give a warning before discussing the history of Bangor Cave: It is located on private property and is not open to the public.

"No trespassing" signs are posted on the property so I will include only historic photos here. A Facebook group called Save Bangor Cave hopes to preserve the historic spot.

The limestone cave was once one of the most famous nightspots in the South, housing a bar, bandstand and dance floor during Prohibition. It is located near a still-used railroad track off U.S. Highway 31 in the tiny community of Bangor, near Blount Springs. At the time the speakeasy was built inside the cave, Blount Springs was home to a popular resort where people came to visit the springs that were thought to have health benefits.

Inside the cave, the bar and bandstand that were carved from stone are still visible but the many amenities - including electric lights -added for the opening of Bangor Cafe Club's in 1937 have long since rotted away or been destroyed by vandals.

Beverly Crider, author of "Lost Birmingham" and the blog Strange Alabama, described the interior. "The floor of the first chamber was leveled with the addition of concrete and covered with linoleum, and the second chamber was later turned into a lounge for female patrons. A locked and heavily guarded room housed slot machines, craps tables, roulette wheels, and card tables."

The club was often featured in news stories after its opening after it was targeted by Gov. Bibb Graves for illicit activities.

"Raids and legal proceedings over the cave's operation began almost as soon as the nightclub opened, with Gov. Bibb Graves ordering the local sheriff to shut down the club," Crider wrote.

The club's owners continued to battle raids for the next year-and-a-half until, in January 1939, fire broke out inside the cave, forcing its closure. Read more here.

Check back in the morning to see what happens on Day 2 of the road trip, which lasts through Friday, traveling down U.S. 31 and back up U.S. 431.

Click through the slides beneath the map to see Kelly's travels so far.

Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. Find her on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest.