| Luray Caverns | |
|---|---|
 Stalactites, stalagmites and columns in Luray Caverns | |
  Location in Virginia  Location in United States | |
| Location | Luray, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 38°39′51.5″N 78°29′1.7″W / 38.664306°N 78.483806°W |
| Designated | 1973 |
| Website | Official website |
Luray Caverns, previously Luray Cave, is a cave just west of Luray, Virginia, United States, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The cavern system is adorned with speleothems such as columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and mirrored pools. The caverns host the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a lithophone made from solenoid-fired strikers that tap stalactites of varied sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks, or bells.[1]
A Smithsonian Institution report of July 13 and 14, 1880, concluded: "[I]t is safe to say that there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation than that of Luray."[2]
Luray Caverns is privately owned by the Graves family, who have lived in Luray for many years. [3] Theodore Clay Northcott, great-grandfather to the owners, purchased the land on which the caverns are located in 1905.[4]
- ^ Huso, Deborah R. (January–February 2010), "The Beauty Below", AAA World, Side Trips, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 28, ISSN 1557-9107, OCLC 61482791, archived from the original on 28 July 2011, retrieved 19 July 2013
- ^ "Luray Caverns | Washington DC".
- ^ Otterbourg, Ken (2013-03-14). "The rift — a family dynasty fights over the future of Luray Caverns". Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
- ^ "Luray Caverns Heirs Continue Spat Over Control and Cash". www.familybusinessmagazine.com. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 2023-03-29.