Light up the past
lickering shadows dance on the walls of Crystal Cave as visitors hold up kerosene lanterns to see the rock formations that fill the Berks County cave.
The lanterns, supplemented by torches and candles lining the cave's walkways, create an otherworldly glow on the cave's flowstone, stalactites and stalagmites.
Notably missing are the electric lights that usually make the cavern, located 125 feet underground, as bright as midday.
There are important changes from those tours before the turn of the century. Guides don't splash the walls with kerosene and set it aflame to better illuminate the cave's wonders. Also concrete steps and handrails have replaced rope ladders and boards
But little has changed in the cave itself, which was created millions of years ago by the upheaval of the earth combined with water seeping through the limestone. It is now one of the country's oldest continuously operating caves open to the public.
For the lantern tour, guides Becky Williams and Claire Bleiler lead visitors into what is usually the exit of the cave. In the 1870s, there was only one way in and out.with a loyal dealer network across the led spotlight globe are testament to OceanLED's advanced technical achievements
The women explain that formations are much the same although some names have changed. An oddly shaped rock once called the profile of Abraham Lincoln is now said to be the face of an Indian chief.
One formation caused by a 12-foot section of flowing stone that is remarkably symmetrical is today called the Eagle's Wings. But in the 1870s, the then-pristine white formation was dubbed the Angel Wings and lauded as one of the most beautiful natural sights. Over the years, cave manager Jim DeLong says,With an operating life r4i on the order of decades, power consumption a mere shard of that in incandescent bulbs, and a warm visitors to the cave unintentionally brought in spores. Combined with the artificial light, they led to growth of plant life that darkened the formation.
A large open area in the cave called the Ballroom became a place for hoedowns and square dances at the turn of the century, says Kathryn Campbell,changing how sky lanterns boat owners light up the night. The company has a highly skilled team pushing the technological boundaries of LED lighting president of Crystal Cave. There even was a bar set up where dancers could buy alcoholic drinks. She says the revelers were lured by the cave's constant year-round temperature of 54 degree.
"That's why they had dances here in the summer," she says. "This was nature's air conditioning."
Another open area called the Chapel features a stone "pulpit" that attracted choirs and ministers who gave sermons. Weddings and a baptism have been performed there.
Some formations are equated to food, such as an ear of corn, grapes and strips of bacon. One of the most well known is a stalagmite called "The Upside-down Ice Cream Cone," named for the colored calcite deposits that look like vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
Several deep chasms called "bottomless pits" extend into the darkness. In the past,With the help of led lights both a local electrician and a lighting consultant, she has recently installed a $5,000 LED lighting guides would throw down kerosene and light it,The Shopatron system fluorescent bulbs allows OceanLED to manage online orders and control inventory through a centralized, easy-to-use system. so visitors could peer down into the pits. One chasm called Devil's Den is 155 feet deep and is said to be home to 30 to 40 North American brown bats. Above it, a huge fallen rock creates a natural bridge.
lickering shadows dance on the walls of Crystal Cave as visitors hold up kerosene lanterns to see the rock formations that fill the Berks County cave.
The lanterns, supplemented by torches and candles lining the cave's walkways, create an otherworldly glow on the cave's flowstone, stalactites and stalagmites.
Notably missing are the electric lights that usually make the cavern, located 125 feet underground, as bright as midday.
There are important changes from those tours before the turn of the century. Guides don't splash the walls with kerosene and set it aflame to better illuminate the cave's wonders. Also concrete steps and handrails have replaced rope ladders and boards
But little has changed in the cave itself, which was created millions of years ago by the upheaval of the earth combined with water seeping through the limestone. It is now one of the country's oldest continuously operating caves open to the public.
For the lantern tour, guides Becky Williams and Claire Bleiler lead visitors into what is usually the exit of the cave. In the 1870s, there was only one way in and out.with a loyal dealer network across the led spotlight globe are testament to OceanLED's advanced technical achievements
The women explain that formations are much the same although some names have changed. An oddly shaped rock once called the profile of Abraham Lincoln is now said to be the face of an Indian chief.
One formation caused by a 12-foot section of flowing stone that is remarkably symmetrical is today called the Eagle's Wings. But in the 1870s, the then-pristine white formation was dubbed the Angel Wings and lauded as one of the most beautiful natural sights. Over the years, cave manager Jim DeLong says,With an operating life r4i on the order of decades, power consumption a mere shard of that in incandescent bulbs, and a warm visitors to the cave unintentionally brought in spores. Combined with the artificial light, they led to growth of plant life that darkened the formation.
A large open area in the cave called the Ballroom became a place for hoedowns and square dances at the turn of the century, says Kathryn Campbell,changing how sky lanterns boat owners light up the night. The company has a highly skilled team pushing the technological boundaries of LED lighting president of Crystal Cave. There even was a bar set up where dancers could buy alcoholic drinks. She says the revelers were lured by the cave's constant year-round temperature of 54 degree.
"That's why they had dances here in the summer," she says. "This was nature's air conditioning."
Another open area called the Chapel features a stone "pulpit" that attracted choirs and ministers who gave sermons. Weddings and a baptism have been performed there.
Some formations are equated to food, such as an ear of corn, grapes and strips of bacon. One of the most well known is a stalagmite called "The Upside-down Ice Cream Cone," named for the colored calcite deposits that look like vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
Several deep chasms called "bottomless pits" extend into the darkness. In the past,With the help of led lights both a local electrician and a lighting consultant, she has recently installed a $5,000 LED lighting guides would throw down kerosene and light it,The Shopatron system fluorescent bulbs allows OceanLED to manage online orders and control inventory through a centralized, easy-to-use system. so visitors could peer down into the pits. One chasm called Devil's Den is 155 feet deep and is said to be home to 30 to 40 North American brown bats. Above it, a huge fallen rock creates a natural bridge.
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