Seneca Caverns (West Virginia)
Seneca Caverns is a karst show cave in Germany Valley near Riverton, West Virginia, USA. It is believed to have been used for ceremonies of Seneca Indians, an Iroquois confederacy tribe and 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.
| Seneca Caverns | |
|---|---|
 Fairyland in Seneca Caverns | |
| Location | Riverton, West Virginia |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Length | Unknown |
| Discovery | 1770's or 1780's |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Entrances | Two, and a separate cave called Stratosphere Cave on the property. |
| Access | Fee |
| Translation | Statosphere Balloon Cave |
History
A German-American settler named Phillip Teter purchased the land surrounding Seneca Caverns in the 1770's.[1] 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. 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
'Castle on the Rhine'
See also
References
- 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 area was not settled by whites until 1761, and that no such person as Laven Teter lived in the area.