Green and golden farm fields are dotted with rows of round bales of newly mown hay and surrounding cozy, little towns, all accented with the spires of countless church steeples. These vistas of the land of Shenandoah reach out and touch the mountain foothills the entire 250 mile length of this fabled valley.

 

"Daughter of the Stars,” “Breadbasket of the Confederacy,” “The Big Valley.” All these nicknames describe the valley that sweeps across the Blue Ridge and Allegheny. Experience fiery fall foliage, vibrant spring blooms, and picture-postcard farms and inns along scenic byways and country roads. Discover the crafts, food and quaint villages and towns that highlight the mountain heritage of this region.

 

Tallow candles were used to light the caverns until September, 1881, when 13 arc lights were installed. The lighting system was powered by an engine driven generator near the train station in Luray at the former Luray Inn, the current traveling a circuit of 7 miles. At the time, this was considered to be the world's longest single engine transmission of electrical current. This was the first instance on record in which a cave had been lighted by electricity. In 1921, a new lighting system was installed throughout the entire caverns by local electricians and company maintenance workers. Under the supervision of the General Electric Company in 1936, the company rewired and re-illuminated the caverns with the most modern type of lighting. This system was used until 1983 when a Cumberland Tennessee company installed an indirect lighting system using more durable, up-to-date equipment. This system is still in use today.

 

Since its inaugural year of 1957, The Car and Carriage Caravan Museum at Luray Caverns has educated and entertained millions of visitors to the Shenandoah Valley and remains one of America's most outstanding exhibits of rare vintage vehicles.

The Museum was built on one man's fascination with antique transportation. Fired with his passion for history, H.T.N. Graves, president of Luray Caverns Corporation, set out with his staff to locate and purchase a collection deemed important to the history of travel. This began in the early 1950's with the interest of sharing a new attraction with the hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors to Luray Caverns. These vehicles in post World War II America were not considered by most to be of cultural significance. This vision chartered a new appreciation and understanding of man's transportation experience over a 200 year period. In an American perspective, transportation has been a great agent in the country's interpretation of freedom and the notion of the “wide open road.”

 

Beginning in 2000, visitors have unraveled the mystery of the maze inside the ornamental garden at Luray Caverns. Rooted in myth, mazes have existed for centuries in countless forms, across many cultures around the world. They have been designed for entertainment, recreation, art, magic and meditation. At Luray Caverns, over 1,500 Dark American Arborvitae, eight feet tall and four feet wide, create a half-mile pathway enhanced with a misting fog. The twisting pathways lead past fountains and into a cave. At 40 points, the challenger must choose a direction to solve the riddle and emerge from the maze. An elevated platform provides relief for those hopelessly lost.

 

Since the 1950's, Luray Caverns has appeared nationwide and around the world in hundreds of travel documentaries, television programs, motion pictures and news stories. From Mr. Roger's Neighborhood to Huntly-Brinkley Report on NBC, Luray Caverns has assumed an iconic position among the most popular attractions in America. A few programs having featured Luray Caverns over the decades include:

 

Fred Rogers was an American educator, minister, songwriter and television host. He was the host of the television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, in production from 1968 to 2001. His main focus was teaching children to love themselves and others through simple games and educational adventures. View a behind-the-scenes video clip here.

 

Portions of the filming of Sydney Sheldon's best selling novel, The Other side of Midnight, were completed at Luray Caverns. The movie starred Susan Sarandon and John Beck. Since there are no bats in Luray Caverns, the Special Effects department produced perfect replicas of bats used in close-up scenes shot in the caverns.

 

Before the 1900's, the novelty of holding wedding in the caverns began to be commonplace. Ceremonies in this unique subterranean environment generated widespread publicity in the decades of the 40's, 50's and 60's. Even though weddings have occurred in various chambers within the caverns, most since 1957 have occurred in the Cathedral accompanied by music from the Great Stalacpipe Organ. To date, over 450 weddings have been performed in Luray Caverns.

 

Green and golden farm fields are dotted with rows of round bales of newly mown hay and surrounding cozy, little towns, all accented with the spires of countless church steeples. These vistas of the land of Shenandoah reach out and touch the mountain foothills the entire 250 mile length of this fabled valley.

 

"Daughter of the Stars,” “Breadbasket of the Confederacy,” “The Big Valley.” All these nicknames describe the valley that sweeps across the Blue Ridge and Allegheny. Experience fiery fall foliage, vibrant spring blooms, and picture-postcard farms and inns along scenic byways and country roads. Discover the crafts, food and quaint villages and towns that highlight the mountain heritage of this region.

 

Tallow candles were used to light the caverns until September, 1881, when 13 arc lights were installed. The lighting system was powered by an engine driven generator near the train station in Luray at the former Luray Inn, the current traveling a circuit of 7 miles. At the time, this was considered to be the world's longest single engine transmission of electrical current. This was the first instance on record in which a cave had been lighted by electricity. In 1921, a new lighting system was installed throughout the entire caverns by local electricians and company maintenance workers. Under the supervision of the General Electric Company in 1936, the company rewired and re-illuminated the caverns with the most modern type of lighting. This system was used until 1983 when a Cumberland Tennessee company installed an indirect lighting system using more durable, up-to-date equipment. This system is still in use today.

 

Since its inaugural year of 1957, The Car and Carriage Caravan Museum at Luray Caverns has educated and entertained millions of visitors to the Shenandoah Valley and remains one of America's most outstanding exhibits of rare vintage vehicles.

The Museum was built on one man's fascination with antique transportation. Fired with his passion for history, H.T.N. Graves, president of Luray Caverns Corporation, set out with his staff to locate and purchase a collection deemed important to the history of travel. This began in the early 1950's with the interest of sharing a new attraction with the hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors to Luray Caverns. These vehicles in post World War II America were not considered by most to be of cultural significance. This vision chartered a new appreciation and understanding of man's transportation experience over a 200 year period. In an American perspective, transportation has been a great agent in the country's interpretation of freedom and the notion of the “wide open road.”

 

Beginning in 2000, visitors have unraveled the mystery of the maze inside the ornamental garden at Luray Caverns. Rooted in myth, mazes have existed for centuries in countless forms, across many cultures around the world. They have been designed for entertainment, recreation, art, magic and meditation. At Luray Caverns, over 1,500 Dark American Arborvitae, eight feet tall and four feet wide, create a half-mile pathway enhanced with a misting fog. The twisting pathways lead past fountains and into a cave. At 40 points, the challenger must choose a direction to solve the riddle and emerge from the maze. An elevated platform provides relief for those hopelessly lost.

 

Since the 1950's, Luray Caverns has appeared nationwide and around the world in hundreds of travel documentaries, television programs, motion pictures and news stories. From Mr. Roger's Neighborhood to Huntly-Brinkley Report on NBC, Luray Caverns has assumed an iconic position among the most popular attractions in America. A few programs having featured Luray Caverns over the decades include:

 

Fred Rogers was an American educator, minister, songwriter and television host. He was the host of the television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, in production from 1968 to 2001. His main focus was teaching children to love themselves and others through simple games and educational adventures. View a behind-the-scenes video clip here.

 

Portions of the filming of Sydney Sheldon's best selling novel, The Other side of Midnight, were completed at Luray Caverns. The movie starred Susan Sarandon and John Beck. Since there are no bats in Luray Caverns, the Special Effects department produced perfect replicas of bats used in close-up scenes shot in the caverns.

 

Before the 1900's, the novelty of holding wedding in the caverns began to be commonplace. Ceremonies in this unique subterranean environment generated widespread publicity in the decades of the 40's, 50's and 60's. Even though weddings have occurred in various chambers within the caverns, most since 1957 have occurred in the Cathedral accompanied by music from the Great Stalacpipe Organ. To date, over 450 weddings have been performed in Luray Caverns.