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Organ Cave lies alongside the old Midland Trail, which began as an ancient
buffalo trail. The settlers took advantage of the hardwood forest and fertile
grasslands for their livelihood. By canoe, flatboat and wagon, these slowly
made inroads into what was considered the western wilderness. Much of their
success is due to the Old Saltpetre Route, a highway of nitre depots that
supplied the government with much needed ingredients for making gunpowder for
its artillery. In his Notes of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson recorded that
at least fifty nitre caves rested along the Greenbrier River, and these were all
used as a source of income.
 
Pictured above is the "Megalonyx Jeffersonii",
the first sloth found in America at Organ Cave
The birth of American Paleontology began when men working in the nitre
works of the cave discovered the remains of a giant 3-toed sloth. When Jefferson
presented the bones of the prehistoric 3-toed sloth to the Philosophical Society
in Philadelphia; it was the very first of its species to be found in America.
The Megalonyx Jeffersonii has become an emblem of cavern scientific
discovery. (This
is now
the state fossil of West Virginia.)
This was the beginning of a new attitude among settlers, who saw caves as useful
resources. They were used as refrigerators, large storage units, and even
meeting places. Early records of land transactions carefully note the
presence of caves, particularly saltpetre caves, and cavern-fed springs for good
water.
European pioneers have known of Organ Cave since 1704, but archeological
evidence demonstrates that Neolithic Native Americans had been visiting Organ
Cave since at least 8000 BC. The ceilings and walls of Organ Cave are lined with
fossilized coral (nodule chert), which is better known as flint. An important
resource for Native Americans, Organ Cave provided an ample source of flint that
could be crafted into arrowheads, knives and fire making tools. The numerous
arrowheads and cutting tools found in and on the grounds surrounding Organ Cave
are an indication of the Native American activity that has taken place at and
inside Organ Cave.
Organ Cave
derives its name from a massive calcite formation resembling an auditorium size
pipe organ. Located approximately a half mile from the cave entrance, the Rock
Organ is one of the highlights of our walking tours. Early descriptions of the
Rock Organ indicate that that the Rock Organ produced remarkable notes by
striking on various curtains or draperies in the 40 foot column that gave “an exact reproduction of a large pipe organ”.
Beginning in 1822, stagecoaches ran regularly between resorts in White Sulphur
Springs and Salt Sulphur Springs carrying passengers and mail. At this time the
cave was known as “John Roger’s Stage Coach Stop”. In 1835, the cave was first
opened to the public, one of the earliest commercial cave tours in the United
States.
Organ Cave is probably the most historic cave in the USA. It houses the
largest collection of Civil War Hoppers left in the USA that are located in one
place. The first recording of the grizzly bear, the saber tooth cat, and
the nine banded armadillo found here at the cave are the first to be recorded
east of the Mississippi River. The walls serve as a museum
for Native American writings and sketches plus many other writings and
petroglyphs. The petroglyphs age and meaning are still unknown.
Mapping of the cave started by the late 1940s and thus far it has taken over 400
men and women to mapped and survey the 45 miles plus. We still have over
200 leads that have not been mapped nor surveyed.
The current owners, kindred to property owners in the 19th century,
hope to make this a spot you will not want to miss. Visit our caverns, enjoy a
lunch, or browse through our gift shop. While visiting the beautiful Greenbrier
Valley, be sure to make a visit to Historic Organ Cave a part of your itinerary.
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