John Reynolds, an Irish immigrant who settled in the Turks and Caicos Islands, spent the late 19th century mining bat guano from East Caicos caves. He developed a complex operation, including a 1.5-mile tramway system, to export the fertilizer to Jamaican sugar cane plantations until his death in 1890.
Reynolds mined three primary caves, including Edison’s Cathedral Cave. Although the market for guano peaked in 1885, he continued operations until his family leased the property to the East Caicos Company, Ltd. In August 1890, Commissioner Henry Jackson reported 200 tons of guano awaiting shipment, though the resource has since vanished, likely utilized by subsequent sisal farming efforts.