Seneca Caverns (Ohio)
Encyclopedia
Seneca Caverns is a show cave
located in northeastern Seneca County
, Ohio
, United States
, just outside of Flat Rock
. The cave is designated as a Registered Natural Landmark by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
.
In 1931, Don Bell, a lawyer from Bellevue
, discovered a series of passageways and rooms in the cave which led to an underground river, called Ole' Mist'ry River, which is part of the vast groundwater system that underlies the surrounding region. After two and a half years of improvement effort, the cave was renamed Seneca Caverns and opened to the public on May 14, 1933.
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...
located in northeastern Seneca County
Seneca County, Ohio
Seneca County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 56,745. Its county seat is Tiffin and it is named for the Seneca Indians.The Tiffin Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Seneca County....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, just outside of Flat Rock
Flat Rock, Ohio
Flat Rock is a census-designated place in northeastern Thompson Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44828....
. The cave is designated as a Registered Natural Landmark by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources was created in 1949 by the Ohio Legislature. It is a government agency in the U.S. state of Ohio charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, and recreation areas.Divisions of ODNR...
.
History
The cave was discovered in June 1872 by two boys named Peter Rutan and Henry Homer while they were hunting rabbits with their dog. The dog chased a rabbit into a brush pile, where they then disappeared. While searching through the brush pile, the two boys found an opening, fell through it, and landed in the first level of the cave, where they found their dog. The boys returned home and told everyone about their discovery. The cave became known as Good's Cave, named for Emmanuel Good, the owner of the farm on which the cave was located.In 1931, Don Bell, a lawyer from Bellevue
Bellevue, Ohio
Bellevue is a city in Erie, Huron, Sandusky and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 8,193 at the 2000 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Bellevue as a Tree City USA....
, discovered a series of passageways and rooms in the cave which led to an underground river, called Ole' Mist'ry River, which is part of the vast groundwater system that underlies the surrounding region. After two and a half years of improvement effort, the cave was renamed Seneca Caverns and opened to the public on May 14, 1933.
Levels
There are 8 levels currently knowned.- Level 1: "Foyer", entrance, and exit. About 20ft under ground.
- Level 2: "Fossil Room". About 30ft under ground.
- Level 3: "Earthquake Attic", Tin Pan Alley, and Chert Alley. About 30ft-45ft under ground.
- Level 4: "Cathedral Hall" and "West Hall". About 65ft under ground.
- Level 5:
- Level 6: Current water level
- Level 7: "River Room". Currently flooded
- Level 8: Flooded