{"id":318499,"date":"2026-10-31T20:46:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T20:46:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/318499\/"},"modified":"2026-10-31T20:46:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T20:46:32","slug":"a-pennsylvania-family-has-owned-penns-cave-since-1908-and-expanded-its-land-to-protect-its-water-118-years-later-the-1400-acre-attraction-with-a-cavern-wildlife-park-and-airport-is-seeking-a-new","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/318499\/","title":{"rendered":"A Pennsylvania family has owned Penn’s Cave since 1908 and expanded its land to protect its water; 118 years later, the 1,400-acre attraction with a cavern, wildlife park and airport is seeking a new owner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A After 118 years under the ownership of one family, America’s only all-water cave and wildlife park has been put up for sale. The move begins the search for a new owner to take over the historic 1,400-acre property in central Pennsylvania. The Campbell family, which first bought Penn’s Cave in 1908, announced the sale through press release services and property firm Lusk and Associates Sotheby’s International Realty. The property is located in Centre Hall and has an asking price of $34 million (\u00a326 million). The large estate includes the limestone cave system, a farm and wildlife park, a private airport, and large areas of surrounding land built up over four generations. Offers for the property began in October. This is the first time in more than a century that the well-known tourist attraction has been put up for sale.<\/p>\n

Four generations of environmental stewardship<\/p>\n

The natural attraction first opened to visitors nearly 150 years ago, but its modern history began when the Campbell family bought it in 1908. Over the next 118 years, four generations of the family worked to expand the property. They bought nearby land mainly to protect the local water supply and preserve the underground water system. The cave depends on an underground river that releases up to 11 million gallons of clean water every day. The family’s environmental protection efforts were aimed at keeping the water clean and protecting the delicate limestone cave formations and the surrounding natural environment. According to statements released by Lusk and Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, the family made environmental protection a priority while slowly growing the business. Over the years, the property developed from a small local cave tour business into a 1,400-acre estate. It now includes wildlife protection areas, farmland, tourist attractions, and transport facilities.<\/p>\n

A uniquely aquatic cave experience<\/p>\n

The primary draw for visitors is the fascinating limestone cave, which holds the distinction of being the sole cave in all of North America where guests can experience the entire tour while traveling by boat. During this unique excursion, visitors glide along an enchanting underground river that meanders through expansive natural chambers adorned with striking stalactites, impressive stalagmites, and cascading rock formations shaped by time. In addition to the cave experience, the estate boasts a sprawling farm and a wildlife park that captivates guests of all ages. This park is home to a variety of native North American wildlife, including majestic bison, towering elk, thrilling wolves, and powerful bears, alongside several exotic species as well. Guests can partake in guided bus tours that traverse the extensive property, allowing them to observe animals roaming freely in large open areas designed to replicate their natural habitats. Furthermore, the property features a fully operational private airstrip, measuring an impressive 2,600 feet, which is known as Penn’s Cave Airport, facilitating direct air access to this incredible site. Other engaging attractions available for visitors include a dedicated visitor center, an inviting gift shop, exciting gem-panning stations, an elaborate plant maze, and adventurous off-road mountain jeep trails that wind through the expansive 1,400-acre property.<\/p>\n

State park evaluation and property future<\/p>\n

News of the sale attracted immediate attention across Pennsylvania. State officials have also started discussing whether the property could become part of the public conservation system. According to reports published by the Centre Daily Times, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed that state officials are looking into whether buying Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park would be a suitable addition to the state park system. State Representative Kerry Benninghoff had earlier supported state involvement. He described the possible loss of public access as a major concern for the local community and its heritage. Despite the planned sale, the Campbell family confirmed that public tours, animal care, and visitor programmes will continue as usual. The family said keeping the business running without disruption is its main priority during the change in ownership. “Continuing the experience we’re known for is our greatest priority throughout this transition,” the Campbell family stated in a joint press release. The family also explained that the decision to sell is focused on “preserving the business and finding the next steward of the land who can see the immense potential of the property and continue the legacy.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After 118 years under the ownership of one family, America’s only all-water cave and wildlife park has been…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":318500,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[129644,77587,129643,28,28504,30,29,71570],"class_list":["post-318499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-cavern-tours","tag-environmental-stewardship","tag-penns-cave","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-family","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news","tag-wildlife-park"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=318499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/318500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=318499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=318499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=318499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}