Crystal Cave celebrates 145th anniversary of Grand Illumination
The cave was first opened to public tours May 25, 1872
Crystal Cave near Kutztown is celebrating the 145th anniversary of the cave’s Grand Illumination that was held on May 25, 1872, which was the formal opening of the cavern to the public.
“This time is special to us because Crystal Cave was the first show cave in Pennsylvania and
in so doing paved the way for at least three other show caves to be developed in Pennsylvania during the 1920s, which was 50 years after we began,” said Kathy Campbell, president of Crystal Cave. “There really weren’t many tourist attractions back in the early 1870s.”
The cave was discovered in November 1871.
According to the history posted on Crystal Cave’s website, www.crystalcavepa.com/history. html, “On Sunday, November 12, 1871, William Merkel and his assistant, John Gehret, were blasting for limestone on a farm owned by Merkel’s parents. At the time, crushed limestone was a valuable resource widely used by farmers to increase the fertility of soil. To their astonishment, they noticed a dark, narrow hole in the side of the steep hill, 80 feet from Gideon Merkel’s farmhouse. They pulled away the surrounding dirt to reveal an opening large enough to penetrate. Once inside, darkness precluded further exploration. The news of the potential cave discovery created much excitement in the small rural Kutztown community.”
“The first group came in maybe a week or so after these two men discovered the cave and they had a rope around each other and went in. They only got as far as the ice cream cone formation, that’s the first stop (of the current tour),” said Campbell.
Another group went in and got further discovering crystals on the cavern walls, which is the origin of the name Crystal Cave.
“People started coming almost right away, it was a big deal that this cave was discovered,” said Campbell. “There was Dragon’s Cave down the way but that was all but forgotten after Crystal Cave was discovered. People would arrive on horse back, by carriage. They didn’t have cars back then so it was an effort to get here.”
Curious local people entered the open cave over the next couple of months. Fearful of vandalism and broken formations, Merkel leased the cave in February 1872 to Samuel D. F. Kohler, who immediately erected a rudimentary wooden door to protect the cave from trespassers. The next month, Kohler purchased the 47acre farm, including Crystal Cave, for $5,000, according to history posted on the website.
Kohler installed wooden steps in the cave and created stone steps and a pathway leading 80 feet up the hill to the cave.
“He gave people wrappers because it was muddy and dirty in there. He had his kerosene lantern. Of course, there was no electricity in there like we have today. He had boys throw kerosene on the wall ahead of the tour and light it on fire so people could see the formations and see where they were walking,” she said. “They came dressed in their Victorian clothing. People thought this was some place they had to get dressed up for. The ladies had their long dresses on and the men had on their suits. I’m sure they came out filthy.”
Kohler based the tour on guiding tourists to the different formations, looking for formations that looked like idols, food, animals, naming them and talking about them on the tour. He charged 25 cents and had a band come the day of the Grand Illumination.
“What’s unique about Crystal Cave is not the size of it, because there are a lot of other caves in Pennsylvania that are larger,” she said. “What’s unique about Crystal Cave is the fact that it’s full of all kinds of different formations. Over the winter we found a new formation, it’s called a lion’s tail. No other cave in Pennsylvania has it. It’s the history and ornamentation of the cave and it’s the first show cave in Pennsylvania.”
Generations of visitors come to Crystal Cave, including my own family.
When I was a child, I remember visiting Crystal Cave. My Mom still talks about my brother, who was a toddler at the time, dropping his rattle in the cave.
This summer, I returned with my Dad and my children, ages 6 and 17 months. I strapped the baby to me and left anything that could be dropped in the car. We were really enjoying the tour, fascinated to see the different formations. The ice cream cone made us want the real thing; luckily, we discovered the Ice Cream Parlor on site after the tour. When the lights were turned out, we found ourselves in complete darkness. The tour guide suggested that anyone who wished, could crawl out toward the dim light at the entrance to which my daughter replied, “I don’t want to do that!” eliciting laughter from our tour group.
Probably the most challenging part of the tour were the number of stairs and the vertigo. Who would have thought being inside a cave would make you feel like you are really high and could fall? We completed the tour a little more knowledgeable about cavern formations, and with shaky legs. We took a family photo outside the entrance of the cave, ate ice cream and talked for days about our family trip to Crystal Cave.
“We have people who came as children, who grow up and have children of their own bring their children. We have grandparents who were here when they were children who have brought their children and now are bringing their grandchildren,” said Campbell. “It has meaning for people, it has memories. They remember coming as a child and bringing their children. It’s a nice memory for them.”
The cave hasn’t changed , it takes a long time for formations to grow.
“We try to conserve the cave, keep it clean, keep it so people don’t damage it, to preserve it and conserve it for generations to come.”
The above ground things have changed. Changes over the years include the addition of the Inn in 1874 that served as a hotel and restaurant for Crystal Cave’s earliest visitors.
“It was difficult to get here. They had to come by train, then take a stage coach from the train station to here. He needed to provide evening entertainment, meals and also accommodations for them to spend the night,” Campbell said.
The hotel was closed in the 1970s and they started selling souvenirs and added a refreshment stand. A souvenir shop was built in 1969 and food building in 1972. The theater was built in 1976, as well as miniature golf course. The Trading Post and Museum building was added in 1981.
The three-generation business has been owned by the DeLong and Kaufman families, Crystal Cave Company Inc., since 1923. Now on 125 acres and called Crystal Cave Park, it continues to be family-run.
“I hope people gain an appreciation for what nature has created underground. This isn’t a manmade thing, this is something that was created millions of years over time by nature. We hope they learn something about geology, a little about history, environmental, biological, there’s all kinds of things they can learn in a cave,” said Campbell. “I hope it offers families a good time. It’s educational and it’s fun. A lot of times it’s the first time they’ve ever been in a cave and they turn out the lights and see how dark it is, it’s an experience for them. Hopefully they’ll remember it,”