Luray Caverns
The Fish Market, so named because the stalactites remember hanging out to dry fishes.
The Luray Caverns are about 26 hectares, the largest cave system in the eastern United States. The cave designated as a National Natural Landmark, with its colorful rooms located just outside the town of Luray in the immediate vicinity of the Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern Virginia.
History
The cave was discovered on 13 August 1878 by the blacksmith Andrew Campbell, his nephew William Campbell as well as the local photographer Benton Stebbins. They first noticed a cool breeze from the ground and began to dig at the site. About five hours later rappelled Andrew Campbell was the first in the cave system from.
At that time owned the land on which the caves were discovered Sam Buracker. Due to non-payment of debt his country, however, was auctioned off by a member appointed court on 14 September 1878. Andrew Campbell, William Campbell and Benton Stebbins, who knew of the auction, auctioned the area and revealed only after the purchase of their discovery. Since the real value of the land at the time of purchase was not known, followed by two years of court proceedings. 1881 purchase by the Supreme Court of Virginia ( Supreme Court of Virginia) has been canceled. The land was then sold to the Luray Cave and Hotel Company, a subsidiary of Shenandoah Railroad Company.
Established in 1901, T.C. Northcott, former president of the Luray Caverns Corporation, on the summit of the hill the cave " Limair " sanatorium. By a blower very clean and germ-free cave air was passed into the building and could be replaced every four minutes. After the original building fell victim to a fire, the sanatorium was rebuilt as a brick building.
Since 1974, the Luray Caverns are registered as a " National Natural Landmark ".
Formation
The cave was formed with the ausklingendem Tertiary, and the Shenandoah Valley was born. Runoff, acidic water eroded away the softer rock layers. Stalactites and stalagmites began to form. Some of these are merged and form the so-called Columns that are up to 16 m high. Furthermore, since penetrates carbonated water through the rock, the process is not yet complete.
Great Stalacpipe organ
The Great Stalacpipe organ is according to the Guinness Book, the largest underground musical instrument in the world. Covering more than 14.000 m² surface rubber covered hammers are mounted at selected stalactites that bring the stone to vibrate and thus can generate tones. Was developed and built the instrument in 1954 by Leland W. Sprinkle, a mathematician and electronics at the Pentagon.
Despite the rubber coating, it sometimes happens that stalactites cancel the game. Then the corresponding sound is missing in the organ repertoire, until an agent puts the hammer to another suitable stalactites, which is shortened if necessary by sawing off to the correct length and thus " tuned ". Obviously, the Great Stalacpipe organ is therefore not an instrument for eternity.
On the fourth album by Pepe Deluxe Queen of the Wave, the Great Stalacpipe organ is heard.
Show cave
The caves can be visited in a guided tour. The one-hour tours cost 12 to 24 U.S. $, the price a visit to the Historic Car & Carriage Caravan Museum is included (as of April 2012). The Great Stalcpipe organ is also played during the tour by a computerized system.
Every year include Luray Caverns approximately 500,000 visitors.
It is also extraordinary that the cave air is chemically dried. Thus, the cold effect is abolished by high humidity. Although this is for the visitor very pleasant, but dries the stalactite formation of, thus preventing a natural evolution of the cave world.