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From the WILLIAMSPORT SUN GAZETTE
A tour boat travels through Penn\u2019s Cave in Centre County. The owners are asking the state to acquire the property and designate it as Pennsylvania\u2019s 126th state park to preserve the landmark from future development. <\/p>\n
From the Williamsport Sun Gazette<\/p>\n
BELLEFONTE \u2014 After four generations of family stewardship, the owners of Penn\u2019s Cave and Wildlife Park are asking the state to take over one of Centre County\u2019s most iconic attractions in an effort to preserve it from future development.<\/p>\n
Following remarks from CEO Russ Schleiden and his daughter, Jeanine Watson, the Centre County Commissioners on Tuesday endorsed the plan to make the natural wonder Pennsylvania\u2019s 126th state park.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been a very difficult decision for us,\u201d said Schleiden. \u201cBut we feel that it\u2019s a very important part of, not only Centre County, but the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that it should be preserved in perpetuity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Schleiden family has spent decades as custodians of America\u2019s only all-water, limestone cavern, working to expand and conserve Penn\u2019s Cave, which contains the headwaters of Penn\u2019s Creek. To ensure the 1,400 acres of land and its waters are around for generations to come, the family is petitioning the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to designate the Penn\u2019s Cave estate a state park and take over its stewardship.<\/p>\n
The proposed transfer includes the cavern, Cave House, surrounding land and waterways, five homes and several barns. Watson said the family has been working toward the proposal for three years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know the state, DCNR, has wonderful plans and visions for enhancing it and taking it to that next level beyond what we could do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Penn\u2019s Creek, which starts in the cavern, flows 34 miles to Selinsgrove where it joins the Susquehanna River Basin before emptying into the Chesapeake.<\/p>\n
The state has made significant investments in protecting those waters, and the proposed transition would expand that work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tributaries also support the native brook trout,\u201d said Schleiden, naming specifically Little Poe and Big Poe creeks, which are known for their fishing.<\/p>\n
Penn\u2019s Cave, he said, has always been supportive of \u201cwildlife for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the commissioners\u2019 help, Penn\u2019s Cave and Wildlife Park has invested $2 million into the local wetlands, protecting local fauna while improving the area\u2019s accessibility. Schleiden said transferring ownership to the state would ensure that mission remains central to the property.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe strongly desire this to go to the state to protect and continue to conserve, and have it available to the public,\u201d Watson said.<\/p>\n
The property also carries historical significance. Penn\u2019s Cave and Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in April 1978 for its local importance.<\/p>\n
The Cave House, or hotel, was built in 1885 by the Long family, who first commercialized the cavern. At the time, visitors traversed the cave by boat using lanterns. That changed in 1927, when the Campbell family, who emigrated from Scotland to the land, electrified the cave.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt probably had electricity before more than most of the local residents,\u201d Schleiden said.<\/p>\n
State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, who helped coordinate with the state on the proposed transition, also joined the commissioners for the discussion.<\/p>\n
Benninghoff said the move would require the endorsement of the governor and both chambers of the General Assembly. The governor is aware of the plan and visited the site last year, and Benninghoff said he has drafted legislation outlining the mechanics of the transition.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t think of a better time in our country and our county\u2019s history, at the semiquincentennial, to make this a reality,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you want to look at Americana in its best, the park I think exemplifies that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the long run, I think this is a tremendous investment for the commonwealth,\u201d Benninghoff said, noting the transition would not be easy but the commissioners\u2019 endorsement could help move the project forward during this budget cycle.<\/p>\n
The proposal also carries potential economic benefits for the region.<\/p>\n
Penn\u2019s Cave and Wildlife Park already attracts visitors from all 50 states and several countries. During its peak season, the park employs dozens of local community members. The attraction is a multigenerational employer in Gregg Township, providing jobs for members of the Schleiden family and their employees, many of whom are young adults and teens.<\/p>\n
Transferring ownership to DCNR and becoming Pennsylvania\u2019s 126th state park could increase tourism and economic engagement in the area, the owners said. State parks in rural communities often bring tourism dollars and expand employment opportunities as operations grow.<\/p>\n
Benninghoff said he could envision additional public amenities, including a campground, while emphasizing the property would remain accessible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not going to be an exclusive property that no one can access,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s actually one we want more people to enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The commissioners each praised the work Schleiden and Watson have done and expressed support for the state park designation, citing the conservation, education, historical, tourism and recreational benefits of the proposal.<\/p>\n
\u201cPenn\u2019s Cave is a premier tourist attraction in Centre County,\u201d said Commissioner Mark Higgins, who noted it is one of only a few caves accessible by boat worldwide. \u201cWith the trout in the water and the wild animals surrounding it in the wildlife park, it\u2019s a really, really fun half-day attraction to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just irreplaceable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Amber Concepcion called the property \u201can outstanding area of natural beauty\u201d and added that it provides an opportunity for education and recreation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great place for kids to learn and for adults and people of all ages to spend a summer afternoon,\u201d she said. \u201cIt would make a fantastic state park.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dershem called the opportunity \u201conce in a lifetime\u201d and said it would be a \u201ccrying shame\u201d if the property were developed instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an amazing opportunity for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to invest in a property that is literally irreplaceable, iconic to our region and unique. I don\u2019t know that you\u2019ll find anything quite like it,\u201d Dershem said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Penn\u2019s Cave, he added, \u201crepresents who we are in Centre County\u201d and is \u201cnatural splendor at its best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Benninghoff said their support will emphasize the urgency of completing the transition to state legislators.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis endorsement by the county, visitors bureau and other people helps to emphasize that we\u2019d really like to get this done, and time is of the essence,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople have been knocking on their door, wanting to purchase this land and break it all apart, and a lot of it would go into development.\u201d<\/p>\n
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