Seneca Caverns is a
karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
show cave
A show cave—also called tourist cave, public cave, and, in the United States, commercial cave—is a cave which has been made accessible to the public for guided visits.
Definition
A show cave is a cave that has been made accessible to ...
in
Germany Valley
Germany Valley is a scenic upland valley high in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia originally settled by German (including Pennsylvania Dutch) farmers in the mid-18th century. It is today a part of the Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks ...
near
Riverton,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
, USA. It has been commercially used since 1930. The largest room inside the cave is the Teter Hall, which is 60 feet tall by 60 feet wide in some areas.
History
A
German-American
German Americans (german: Deutschamerikaner, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 43 million in 2019, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the Unite ...
settler named Phillip Teter purchased the land surrounding Seneca Caverns in the 1770s.
[The proprietors of the cave give the date of discovery as 1742, and having been done by Laven Teter. However, historical records indicate that the Mouth of Seneca/]Germany Valley
Germany Valley is a scenic upland valley high in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia originally settled by German (including Pennsylvania Dutch) farmers in the mid-18th century. It is today a part of the Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks ...
area was not settled by whites until 1761, and that no such person as Laven Teter lived in the area. He may have first entered the cave on a quest for water to supply his livestock. The first recorded entry into the cave was in 1781 by
Francis Asbury
Francis Asbury (August 20 or 21, 1745 – March 31, 1816) was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. During his 45 years in the colonies and the newly independent United States, he devoted his life to ...
. The Teter family maintained ownership until 1928, at which point it became property of the Harman family, who began the process of commercializing the cave. In 1930 the new owners opened it to the public as a show cave. The property was acquired in 1984 by Greer Limestone.
Gallery
File:AUT 1983 ForestWander.JPG, 'Castle on the Rhine'
See also
*
Smoke Hole Caverns
*
Seneca Caverns (Ohio)
Seneca Caverns is a show cave located in northeastern Seneca County, Ohio, USA, just outside Flat Rock. The cave is designated as a Registered Natural Landmark by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
The Ohio Department of Natural Reso ...
References
External links
Official site
Caves of West Virginia
Tourist attractions in Pendleton County, West Virginia
Show caves in the United States
Landforms of Pendleton County, West Virginia
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