[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 11, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H4811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HISTORY OF THE SHENANDOAH CAVERNS

  (Mr. CLINE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, Virginia's Sixth District is home to some of 
the most beautiful landscapes and natural wonders in the country.
  One of the most breathtaking attractions western Virginia has to 
offer, Shenandoah Caverns, is just a short 2-hour drive down I-81 from 
our Nation's Capital.
  While building the Southern Railroad through Shenandoah County in the 
1800s, the rail company asked landowner, Abraham Neff, for permission 
to dig a rock quarry for stones to help continue the project. While 
exploring the quarry, Mr. Neff's sons discovered the caverns after 
climbing 275 feet down an opening that had been exposed.
  The family eventually sold the property to Hunter Chapman, who hoped 
to show the world the marvel that had been uncovered. In 1922, Chapman 
got his wish when Shenandoah Caverns officially opened, attracting 
generations of locals and tourists alike.
  Since then, for the past 100 years, the caverns have provided 
stunning views, incredible geology, and extraordinary crystalline 
formations to all who visited. Shenandoah Caverns is truly remarkable, 
and I congratulate its current owner, Kathy Hargrove Kelly, on the 
business' centennial.

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