Evening star., 1921-09-18
MUCH Of INTEREST
In THE SHENANDOAH
Motorists Find Wealth Of
Beauty and Charm-End-
less CavernS Popular.

Motorists Though the beautiful val
| ley of the Shenandoah traverse re-
! gion rich in historical interest. From
/ the days when the Indians gave the
river it's melodiOus name, ShenRn-
doah, the Daughter of the Stars. the
valley, SO peaceful in it's physical as
poets. has been the scene of bloody
battles Redskins fought their tribal
!; wars here. The valley formed IA battle
ground for the colonists during the
French and Indian wars. From the
same old fighting ground Daniek Nor
gan conducted his operations against
the British during the revolution and
during the civil war the valley was
fought over repeatedly.
Starting at the Potomac Water Gap
at Harper's Ferry, where the Potomac
river. breaking through the Blue
Ridge. is Joined by the Shenandoah.
and where memories of John Browns
ill-fated expedition linger, 'the motor
list strikes the valley pike at Win
chester, famous as the starting point
of Sheridan's heroic ride, as the site
of Fort Loudon, built by Gen. Wash
burial place of Gen. Morgan. the
headquarters of StOnewall Jackson,
and of such strategic Importance dur
ing the civil war that the town is re-
puted to have changed hands no less
than Seventy-two times.
kearnstown. Middletown. Strasburg,
Woodstock. Edinburg. Mount Jackson
and New Market. all have historical
associations connected with the colo
nial. revolutionary or civil wars and
all of them lie along the broad val
ley pike, which was chartered in 1897.
and has since been incorporated with
in the national highway.
The Endless Caverns.
The old pike. which was destined
10 play so important part as
military highway in the Sixties. is
one of extraordinary picturesqueness,
but tourists along it are likely to
miss in their hasty passage one of
the greatest of the valleys natural
wonders. The Endless Caverns, near
New Market, and easily reached by
two mile drive over a well macad
amlZed side road from the main thor
ought offer scenic attractions of
weird and spectacular beauty. For
two hours or more the visitor may
wander through the caverns' vaults
and grottoes. cripts an dtunnels, past
subterranean brooks and miniature
lakes and waterfalls, under archinE
stalactites and columnar stalagmites.
in veritable fairyland that would
eclipse in its magnificence the Won
ders of Ali Babas cave.
For Ali Baba, however. successful
he may have been in collecting gold
and precious stones to fill his treas
ure vaults. could not command the
services of any such powerful djinn
as electricity to light his subter-
Endless Caverns have called modern
science to, their aid and with more
than 500 electric flood lights cleverly
concealed behind the multi-colored
and fantastic rock formations have
banished the darkness that made the
cavern once the hiding place of bats
and such nocturnal creatures.
And with the flood of light the dark
recesses of the labyrinthine windings
of the caverns have leaped forth into
names that have been given to the
various rooms seem none too romantic
Skyland. Neptune's grotto. Undine' $
fountain. Alexander's ballroom. the
Cathedral. Erda's Cave. SolomQn's
Temple. the Pool of Narcissus, the
Pass of Thermopylae. the Fountain
of Youth are only few of the fanci-
full titles included in the catalogue of
the caves wonders.
Although SO close to the main high
way leading from Washington to At
| lanta the caverns which were dis
covered in 1879 have hitherto been so
difficult of access as to haze achieved
! little more than local reputation.
| All this has now been changed. A
macada m road has been built from
| Valley pike to Smiths creek and a
| bridge has been built across that
stream which could formerly be ford
ed only at times of low later, and
an excellent private road has been
constructed from the bridge directly
to the cavern entrance.
| a few hundred feet beyond the
bridge a garage has been built with
facilities fO" minor repairs and I,
parking place has been la id out on the
broad cedar shaded plateau at the top
| of Cavern hill. where refreshments
! rest rooms and other conveniences for
motorists are obtainable