Shenandoah Caverns
Encyclopedia
Shenandoah Caverns is a commercial show cave
in the Shenandoah Valley
of Virginia
. The word Shenandoah has an uncertain Native American origin and meaning. One meaning is said to be "daughter of the stars".
Another legend states that the name is derived from the name of an Iroquoian, Chief Sherando of the seventeenth century; and this was reportedly also the name of his people. The Iroquois Oneida
oral tradition says that the Shenandoah River
(and valley) was named after their Chief Skenando, who led the Oneida as allies of the colonials during the American Revolutionary War
, when four of the six Iroquois nations were allied with the British Crown. He was said to have sent corn to aid George Washington and his troops during their harsh winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge
, and Washington named the river and valley for him.
The Native Americans of the region knew the caves well long before the Europeans arrived. In 1884 workers accidentally discovered the caves during the construction of the Southern Railway
through the mountains. The area is underlaid with limestone and also has karst topography
, forming caves throughout the valley. After being developed as Shenandoah Caverns in 1921 and 1922, the caves were opened to the public as a tourist attraction. Other commercially developed caves are Luray Caverns
, Endless Caverns, Skyline Caverns and Grand Caverns in Grottoes
.
The Shenandoah Caverns has a mile-long guided tour. Seventeen "rooms" of connecting chambers are traveled through during this time. Geological formations have been named: the Diamond Cascade, the Grotto of the Gods, the Rainbow Lake, the Oriental Tea Garden, and the Capitol Dome, and these are lighted for display. The "bacon" formations were featured in a 1964 issue of National Geographic Magazine. The caverns' temperature naturally remains at 54 degrees year round.
Shenandoah Caverns is the only cavern in Virginia that has elevator access. The cavern tour can be up to 80% accessible to visitors who use wheelchairs or have other accessibility needs.
Show cave
Show caves — also called tourist caves, public caves, and in the United States, commercial caves — are caves that are managed by a government or commercial organization and made accessible to the general public, usually for an entrance fee...
in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The word Shenandoah has an uncertain Native American origin and meaning. One meaning is said to be "daughter of the stars".
Another legend states that the name is derived from the name of an Iroquoian, Chief Sherando of the seventeenth century; and this was reportedly also the name of his people. The Iroquois Oneida
Oneida
- Native American/First Nations :* Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy* Oneida language* Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York...
oral tradition says that the Shenandoah River
Shenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, long with two forks approximately long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia...
(and valley) was named after their Chief Skenando, who led the Oneida as allies of the colonials during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, when four of the six Iroquois nations were allied with the British Crown. He was said to have sent corn to aid George Washington and his troops during their harsh winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
, and Washington named the river and valley for him.
The Native Americans of the region knew the caves well long before the Europeans arrived. In 1884 workers accidentally discovered the caves during the construction of the Southern Railway
Southern Railway
The following railways or railroads are or were called the Southern Railway or Southern Railroad:- Europe :*Austrian Southern Railway, a railway company operating in Austria-Hungary between 1841 and 1923*South railway...
through the mountains. The area is underlaid with limestone and also has karst topography
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
, forming caves throughout the valley. After being developed as Shenandoah Caverns in 1921 and 1922, the caves were opened to the public as a tourist attraction. Other commercially developed caves are Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns, originally called Luray Cave, is a large, celebrated commercial cave just west of Luray, Virginia, USA, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The underground cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems...
, Endless Caverns, Skyline Caverns and Grand Caverns in Grottoes
Grottoes
Grottoes may mean:*The plural form of Grotto .or*Grottoes, Virginia - The town named for Grand Caverns....
.
The Shenandoah Caverns has a mile-long guided tour. Seventeen "rooms" of connecting chambers are traveled through during this time. Geological formations have been named: the Diamond Cascade, the Grotto of the Gods, the Rainbow Lake, the Oriental Tea Garden, and the Capitol Dome, and these are lighted for display. The "bacon" formations were featured in a 1964 issue of National Geographic Magazine. The caverns' temperature naturally remains at 54 degrees year round.
Shenandoah Caverns is the only cavern in Virginia that has elevator access. The cavern tour can be up to 80% accessible to visitors who use wheelchairs or have other accessibility needs.