Grand Caverns

Weyer's Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Near Grottoes. I-81 exit 235, Weyer's Cave, onto Rt 256 to the town of Grottoes. Signposted.
Open:	All year daily 9-17. [2010]
Fee:	Adults USD 18, Children (6-12) USD 11, Children (0-5) free, Seniors USD 16. AAA: Adults USD 15.50, Children (6-12) USD 9. Public Servants: Adults USD 15.50, Children (6-12) USD 9. Public Servants are military, police, fire, and rescue personnel with proper id. Grottoes Residents: Adults USD 11, Children (6-12) USD 8. Groups (12+): Adults USD 13, Children (6-12) USD 8. [2010]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=12 °C
Guided tours:	L=1,600 m, D=70 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Grand Caverns, PO Box 478, 5 Grand Caverns Drive, Grottoes, VA 24441, Tel: +1-540-249-5705, Free: +1-888-430-CAVE. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

The Cataract. From **David Strother** (1857): **The Adventures of Porte Crayon and his Cousins**.

History

1804	discovered by 18-year-old Bernard Weyer, a young trapper, looking for his missing trap.
1806	opened to the public, first show cave of the United States, named Weyers Cave.
26-SEP-1864	visited by W. W. Miles.
1889	electric light installed.

Description

Solomon's Temple. From **David Strother** (1857): **The Adventures of Porte Crayon and his Cousins**.

Grand Caverns is the oldest show cave in the USA. It is open for the public continually for nearly 200 years. At first, it was called Weyer's Cave, after an early owner of the cave, later it was renamed Grand Cavern. The cave is famous for its numerous formations. Most unusual are the rare shields, which are shaped like disks. Grand has an abundance of 250 shields. Cathedral Hall is 85 m long and 21 m high, the biggest chamber in this cave and one of the largest rooms of any cavern in the East.

The caves of the Shenandoah Valley were formed in mostly horizontal limestone layers. This cave is extraordinary, as the limestone is folded at this place. At the place of the cave, the layers are vertical not horizontal, turned on-end by tectonic forces. The result are rather uncommon profiles of the passages.

Around Grand Cavern several smaller caves are also open to the public. They can be visited by groups after appointment.

An early description of the cave written by David Hunter Strother in his story The Adventures of Porte Crayon and his Cousins. Porte Crayon is actually his pen name, derived from the french porte-crayon or pencil. This story is a sort of autobiographic travel diary from the pre-war Virginia. It is also full of nice drawings (hence his pen name). This story was published in 1857 in Virginia illustrated. To read the full story follow the link below.

During the Civil War the cave was visited by both Confederate and Union soldiers. As common in these times, the visitors left their names on the walls of the cave. More than 230 signatures on the walls could be identified being from civil war soldiers.

A funny story is told about the famous Confederate General, Stonewall Jackson. He once camped nearby and allowed his men to visit the cave. But when asked if he was going to enter the cave, he answered "No, I think not. I fear I shall be underground soon enough, and I have no desire to speed the process!"