After 118 years under the ownership of one family, America's only all-water cave and wildlife park has been put up for sale.
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cave → put → sale
The move begins the search for a new owner to take over the historic 1,400-acre property in central Pennsylvania.
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move → begin → 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.
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which → buy → Realty
The property is located in Centre Hall and has an asking price of $34 million (£26 million).
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property → locate → 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.
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estate → include → generations
Offers for the property began in October.
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Offers → begin → October
This is the first time in more than a century that the well-known tourist attraction has been put up for sale.
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attraction → know → sale
Four generations of environmental stewardship
The natural attraction first opened to visitors nearly 150 years ago, but its modern history began when the Campbell family bought it in 1908.
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family → open → 1908
Over the next 118 years, four generations of the family worked to expand the property.
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generations → work → property
They bought nearby land mainly to protect the local water supply and preserve the underground water system.
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They → buy → system
The cave depends on an underground river that releases up to 11 million gallons of clean water every day.
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that → depend → water
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.
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efforts → aim → formations
According to statements released by Lusk and Associates Sotheby's International Realty, the family made environmental protection a priority while slowly growing the business.
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protection → accord → business
Over the years, the property developed from a small local cave tour business into a 1,400-acre estate.
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property → develop → estate
It now includes wildlife protection areas, farmland, tourist attractions, and transport facilities.
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It → include → areas
The main attraction remains the limestone cave, which is recognised as the only cave in North America where visitors take the entire tour by boat.
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visitors → remain → boat
Visitors travel along an underground river that passes through large natural chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and flowing rock formations.
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that → travel → stalactites
Beyond the cave, the estate also includes a large farm and wildlife park.
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estate → include → farm
Guided bus tours take visitors across the property, where they can see animals living in large open spaces designed to look like their natural homes.
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animals → take → homes
The property also has a working private airstrip measuring 2,600 feet, known as Penn's Cave Airport.
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property → have → Airport
It provides direct air access to the site.
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It → provide → site
Other visitor attractions include a visitor centre, gift shop, gem-panning stations, a large plant maze, and off-road mountain jeep trails across the 1,400-acre property.
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attractions → include → property
State park evaluation and property future
News of the sale attracted immediate attention across Pennsylvania.
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News → attract → Pennsylvania
State officials have also started discussing whether the property could become part of the public conservation system.
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property → start → 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.
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buying → accord → system
State Representative Kerry Benninghoff had earlier supported state involvement.
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Benninghoff → support → involvement
He described the possible loss of public access as a major concern for the local community and its heritage.
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He → describe → community
Despite the planned sale, the Campbell family confirmed that public tours, animal care, and visitor programmes will continue as usual.
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tours → plan → sale
The family said keeping the business running without disruption is its main priority during the change in ownership.
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keeping → say → ownership
"Continuing the experience we're known for is our greatest priority throughout this transition," the Campbell family stated in a joint press release.
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family → continue → 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."
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who → explain → legacy
The Aporia
