CALDWELL, W.Va. — Vandals have been targeting Organ Cave, damaging underground rock formations at the ancient West Virginia landmark.
Owners of the cave in Greenbrier County reported a series of late-night break-ins, during which the 40-foot tall organ-like column was vandalized. It has developed a large crack at the top, and owners say each time vandals chip away, it weakens the entire formation.
Cave owners offered a $1,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the people involved. They hope somebody in the community is aware of the culprits and willing to report them.
A National Natural Landmark and part of the National Register of Historic Places, Organ Cave is home to significant archaeological discoveries, including the first prehistoric three-toed sloth found in America in the late 1700s and one of the world’s oldest-known shark fossils.
The 38-mile cave system is part of the Civil War Trails after Confederate soldiers mined it for gunpowder materials and hid from Union troops over a span of three winters.