Post by Taylor on Mar 29, 2006 7:54:59 GMT -5
Caving group looking for tunnels under town
By JENNIFER BUNDY
Associated Press Writer
March 25, 2006
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- There's a void under the historical General Adam Stephen House that may be part of a long-lost tunnel system believed to run beneath one of West Virginia's oldest towns. The tunnels are part of the lore of this Eastern Panhandle city, which Stephen founded in 1778.
Some tales suggest the veteran of the American Revolution and French and Indian War built his house over a cavern so his family would have a quick escape route in case of attack. Other stories say the tunnels have been used by railroad robbers, moonshiners and slaves trying to escape north.
The tunnels--part natural limestone caves, part manmade--were filled in during the early 20th century to protect curious children from harm and to protect unsuspecting homeowners from children playing tricks. "Here you are in your house, relaxing, and all of a sudden you hear people in the basement yelling," said John DiCarlo Jr. of Keedysville, Md. DiCarlo, who portrays Stephen in historic reenactments, is also an officer of the group Tri-State Grotto, which has been digging for the past decade to find the tunnels and verify the claims. "I think it's amazing the interest is still there after 10 years," DiCarlo said.
The caving group, which has about 100 members, works on the project about once every three or four months. Last year Tri-State Grotto brought in an expert in microgravity to help look for a tunnel on the Stephen house grounds. "The results of his microgravity work was, yes, there is a void down there," DiCarlo said. "It seems to be headed in the direction we are digging. He recommends we continue digging where we are." The group has dug a 20-foot-deep hole in the house's basement.
Another hole has been dug in a second house located nearby on East King Street. The cavers knew where to look for the tunnel in the second house, but there were conflicting reports about a tunnel opening under the Stephen house, said Keith Hammersla, curator of the Adam Stephen House. Both houses are owned by the Adam Stephen Memorial Association and written accounts say a tunnel once connected them, with branches going to openings under at least two other houses.
Several years ago, two separate people touring the Stephen house pinpointed the entrance to caves they had played in as children, Hammersla said. Digging then moved to the Stephen home around 2000.
In the East King Street house, a rough stone stairway leads from the cellar to a lower chamber with an arched roof made out of stone blocks. Another rough stairway leads from there to a landing and a 10-foot hole the cavers have dug. The stonework archway in the subcellar dates back to the late 1700s, the same time period the Stephen house was built with the same type of stone work. "It is likely there was just an underground room over here before there was a structure constructed on top of it," Hammersla said. A log home occupied the site in the 1820s, and the current house was built in the 1850s, said Hammersla, who has researched the deeds. A grocer owned the house and stored goods in the cellar.
DiCarlo said his group's explorations have been slow-going. Digging has been by hand, and group members must carry the dirt out in buckets. The holes are only big enough for one person, who fills a bucket and hands it out to a line of fellow workers. Also, the group has been forced to dig though cinders, garbage, fill dirt and water. The worst muck was found under the East King Street house. The owners filled in their tunnel entrance about the same time indoor plumbing became available. The owners apparently used the area for sewage disposal before a sewage system was built. "They figured that would seal the hole off and help keep the kids out," DiCarlo said.
DiCarlo hopes to one day break through to a natural cave and follow it to see where it goes, or what it yields. So far the only artifacts the diggers have found are old bottles, pottery, glass and a skeleton key. "It didn't go to the house, but it was still neat," DiCarlo said. If the tunnels are found and opened, DiCarlo and Hammersla would like them to become tourist attractions. The caving group will give tours of the tunnel sites on Adam Stephen Day, which is May 13. "Who knows what could have been in there," DiCarlo said. "It's like a time capsule."
www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/
By JENNIFER BUNDY
Associated Press Writer
March 25, 2006
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- There's a void under the historical General Adam Stephen House that may be part of a long-lost tunnel system believed to run beneath one of West Virginia's oldest towns. The tunnels are part of the lore of this Eastern Panhandle city, which Stephen founded in 1778.
Some tales suggest the veteran of the American Revolution and French and Indian War built his house over a cavern so his family would have a quick escape route in case of attack. Other stories say the tunnels have been used by railroad robbers, moonshiners and slaves trying to escape north.
The tunnels--part natural limestone caves, part manmade--were filled in during the early 20th century to protect curious children from harm and to protect unsuspecting homeowners from children playing tricks. "Here you are in your house, relaxing, and all of a sudden you hear people in the basement yelling," said John DiCarlo Jr. of Keedysville, Md. DiCarlo, who portrays Stephen in historic reenactments, is also an officer of the group Tri-State Grotto, which has been digging for the past decade to find the tunnels and verify the claims. "I think it's amazing the interest is still there after 10 years," DiCarlo said.
The caving group, which has about 100 members, works on the project about once every three or four months. Last year Tri-State Grotto brought in an expert in microgravity to help look for a tunnel on the Stephen house grounds. "The results of his microgravity work was, yes, there is a void down there," DiCarlo said. "It seems to be headed in the direction we are digging. He recommends we continue digging where we are." The group has dug a 20-foot-deep hole in the house's basement.
Another hole has been dug in a second house located nearby on East King Street. The cavers knew where to look for the tunnel in the second house, but there were conflicting reports about a tunnel opening under the Stephen house, said Keith Hammersla, curator of the Adam Stephen House. Both houses are owned by the Adam Stephen Memorial Association and written accounts say a tunnel once connected them, with branches going to openings under at least two other houses.
Several years ago, two separate people touring the Stephen house pinpointed the entrance to caves they had played in as children, Hammersla said. Digging then moved to the Stephen home around 2000.
In the East King Street house, a rough stone stairway leads from the cellar to a lower chamber with an arched roof made out of stone blocks. Another rough stairway leads from there to a landing and a 10-foot hole the cavers have dug. The stonework archway in the subcellar dates back to the late 1700s, the same time period the Stephen house was built with the same type of stone work. "It is likely there was just an underground room over here before there was a structure constructed on top of it," Hammersla said. A log home occupied the site in the 1820s, and the current house was built in the 1850s, said Hammersla, who has researched the deeds. A grocer owned the house and stored goods in the cellar.
DiCarlo said his group's explorations have been slow-going. Digging has been by hand, and group members must carry the dirt out in buckets. The holes are only big enough for one person, who fills a bucket and hands it out to a line of fellow workers. Also, the group has been forced to dig though cinders, garbage, fill dirt and water. The worst muck was found under the East King Street house. The owners filled in their tunnel entrance about the same time indoor plumbing became available. The owners apparently used the area for sewage disposal before a sewage system was built. "They figured that would seal the hole off and help keep the kids out," DiCarlo said.
DiCarlo hopes to one day break through to a natural cave and follow it to see where it goes, or what it yields. So far the only artifacts the diggers have found are old bottles, pottery, glass and a skeleton key. "It didn't go to the house, but it was still neat," DiCarlo said. If the tunnels are found and opened, DiCarlo and Hammersla would like them to become tourist attractions. The caving group will give tours of the tunnel sites on Adam Stephen Day, which is May 13. "Who knows what could have been in there," DiCarlo said. "It's like a time capsule."
www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/