Evening star., 1950-06-11
lStronge Beauty Found in 9 Virginia Caves
Carved by Mature
No Two Open to
Public Are Alike
By WoIter w. Hubbord
American Automobile Assccictien

/ In Virginia are to be found ap-
proximately $50 caves and caverns
openings produced by nature in
the solid crust of the earth
through the chemical and me-
chanical action of water.
In ages long since past, minor
earthquakes may have had a part
in forming them. There is no
evidence that any caves in the
Old Dominion State resulted from
volcanic action. However, caverns
throughout the world are to be
found most often in limestone and
gypsum, and sometimes in sand
stone and volcanic rock.
1t is not necessary for one to
be geologist or a member of the
National Sociological Society
headquartered in Washington, by
the way-to enjoy a visit to the
caves. Within comparatively easy
motoring distance of the Nations
Capital is variety of them. You
can be an amateur "spelunker" for
20 minutes or two hours, depend
ing upon how long you wish to do
your exploring, with a guide.
Nine Open to Public.
Nine of Virginia's largest cav
erns have been fully developed
and are now open to the public.
Let it be said now. however, that
the old saw about you see one.
you see 'em all' doesn't apply to
cave visitations. Each one of
these natural. underground for
nations has its own history, it's
different geographic and historic
setting; each offers something diff
ferent by way of an interior ex-
hibit" created millions upon mil
lions of years ago.
These nine include the Battle
field Crystal Caverns, on United
States highway IL. mile
north of Strasburg; Dixie. on
United States IL, IA miles west
of Roanoke: Endless, 3 miles
south of New Market, on United
States 211; Massanutten. 6 miles
east of Harrisonburg, on United
States 33: Melrose, 6 miles north
of Harrisonburg on United States
IL: Shenandoah, miles north of
New Market and As miles south
of Winchester on United States
II, and Skyline Caverns, about /
mile south of Front Royal, on
United States II, near the north
ern entrance to Skyline Drive.
Generally speaking, these Vir-
ginia caverns have been carved
by Mother Nature out of lime
stone rock laid down in the sea,
or lake. during the Mississippian
Age, about 300 million years ago.
The famed Carlsbad Caverns in
New Mexico are Juvenile" COM
pared to Virginia's offerings, for
the ones in the Southwest were
formed in rocks of the Permian
Age, only 200 million years ago.
Into the Past.
The pathway, through the av-
erage cave, leads downward
through narrow, rock walled
passages, or broadens through
low-vaulted ceilings and highly
arched chambers. There is gen.
orally a ballroom" or grand
salon" in every traversable cav
ern, and a visit to one or several
OF them is an experience that
every one should have. It is an
alice in Wonderland" adven-
ture which takes one out of the
humdrum of everyday life-away
from the din and noise of the
world above-into the beauties
and mysteries of the agless past.
How are these caverns formed,
and what makes them different?
Reducing 300 million years of
time to about 800 seconds of read
ing time. the waters which covered
the earth and we are now speak
ing OF part of Virginia, particularly
along United States 11-contained
such she'll fish as oysters, clans,
mussels, barnacles and the like.
These forms of life absorbed lime
out of the sea water and in death,
deposited lime beds, soft like NOR
tar. at the bottom of the lake or
sea. These beds acquired a thick
ness OF from 10 to go feet which,
in drying thousands of years later,
they resulted in limestone rock.
During the passage of thousands
and thousands more years, the
surface of the stone was raised,
broken, cracked or scanned and in
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