Howe Caverns

It was then onwards to the Howe Caverns.

‘Lester Howe, his wife Lucinda, and their three infant children – Huldah Ann, Harriet Elgiva and Halsey John – settled in the valley east of Cobleskill. The location of the cave entrance had been lost to history, but there was talk of a mysterious “Blowing Rock” – a strange rocky ledge from which a cool breeze of air emanated on even the hottest days.

Howe and his family farm were located adjacent to the caverns’ hidden entrance (the farmhouse foundation stood on Dug Road, just east of Boreali’s Restaurant until I-88 was built). There is no doubt Howe was fascinated by stories of the strange local phenomenon “Blowing Rock.” Reports of the day placed its location just north of the “Kobles Kill” and ten miles west of the Schoharie River – on or near his property.

There are several different accounts of the caverns’ history, but the most often told (shortened for the touring public) is that Howe found the cave by accident on the 22nd of May, 1842. On many hot summer days he noticed his cows pastured in this same spot, not on his land, but land owned by neighbor and friend, Henry Wetsel. When Howe approached his herd, he began to notice the temperature getting cooler. His dairy herd had gathered near the cave’s hidden entrance to feel the cool air coming from below, and Howe had indeed found the mysterious “Blowing Rock” and gave credit, in particular, to a cow named “Millicent” for helping with the discovery. Howe then entered the cave with his neighbor Henry Wetsel.

On May 22, 1842, Howe entered the cave with Wetsel. Day after day, the two returned to explore the caverns. Each time, they would go a little farther. Each time they would emerge wet and muddy, but exalted by the thrill of their discoveries. They hammered a piece of tin into a lamp to burn whale oil as their light source. They explored about one and a half miles of underground passageways – all by the dim, flickering light of the small oil lamp. They built a raft and crossed what we know today as the Lake of Venus.

In February, 1843, Howe purchased the property from Wetsel for $100.

At age 33, Lester Howe opened Howe’s Cave as the country’s third commercial cave venture. Improvements in the cave began almost immediately with Howe’s announcements to the press rivaling his cave with the great Mammoth Cave of Kentucky.

The treasure that was 156-feet below the earth’s surface, that had so delighted Howe and Wetsel, had begun its mission of thrilling millions more.’

And we were one of the millions today. Both Dave and I said it when we visited the underground caves in Wellington NSW and said it again today, you just never know what is underground!

And you can’t say this too often that you got to ride in a boat underground!

So many photos taken today that would take pages and pages of the blog so will just post some.

Another amazing day on our adventure!もっと詳しく