Grottoes in Rockingham County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Grand Caverns Inn

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2024

1. Grand Caverns Inn Marker

Inscription. Lovell & Lovell, Architects.
Eutsler Bros. — Builders.
The enchanted buried city, — Grand Caverns were discovered in 1804 by Bernard Weyer. One hundred and twenty two years later under the management of Holly Stover, the modern improvements were made, so that the public could visit this wonderland under the most pleasant and comfortable auspices. The marvelous flood lighting system was designed in installed by Dr. M. Luckiesh.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.

Location. 38° 15.517′ N, 78° 50.076′ W. Marker is in Grottoes, Virginia, in Rockingham County. It can be reached from Grand Cavern Road 0.2 miles west of Dogwood Avenue (South River Road) (Virginia Route 825), on the left when traveling west. The marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, on the right side of the front/east entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5 Grand Cavern Road, Grottoes VA 24441, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s

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Shenandoah Valley.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Civil War Tourism Attraction (within shouting distance of this marker); Grand Caverns (within shouting distance of this marker); George Caleb Bingham (approx. half a mile away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Port Republic Foundry (approx. 2½ miles away); Madison Hall (approx. 2.6 miles away); Riverside Graveyard (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grottoes.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Grand Caverns

Also see . . .
1. About Grand Caverns. Excerpt:

Grand
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2024

2. Grand Caverns Inn Marker
The marker is mounted on the right side of the front/east entrance.
Caverns was discovered in 1804 by Bernard (Barnette) Weyer while trying to retrieve one of his traps. Weyers Cave opened for tours in 1806, making it the oldest continually operating show cave in the U.S. The Pirkey Brothers bought the property in 1910 and built a lime kiln on the property. Holly Stover bought the property in 1926 and changed the name from Weyers Cave to Grand Caverns, as it is known today. During the term of the next owner, Gladys Kellow, the US Department of the Interior recognized the property as a National Natural Landmark. In 1974 Miss Kellow gifted the property to the Upper Valley Regional Park Authority, who owned the caverns until 2009. On October 1, 2009, the Town of Grottoes took possession of its namesake caverns, and consequently, the UVRPA dissolved.

(Submitted on July 24, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Grand Caverns (by Robert Boucheron). Excerpt:

The Stone Lodge, built in 1926, is a large, two-story, rustic cottage of local gray limestone, half-timber, and stucco. The ground floor rooms, which may have been used for entertainment as they are rather grand, harbor a
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2024

3. Kellow Lodge 1993 Marker
Mounted directly above the Grand Caverns Inn Marker.
gift shop and ticket sales. Living quarters were upstairs, now unoccupied and used for storage.

(Submitted on July 24, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Grand Caverns Inn (<i>northeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2024

4. Grand Caverns Inn (northeast elevation)

Grand Caverns Inn (<i>north elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2024

5. Grand Caverns Inn (north elevation)

Grand Caverns Inn (<i>east/front elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2024

6. Grand Caverns Inn (east/front elevation)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 24, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 313 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 24, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.