WV Wine Cellars Speleothems EarthCache

 To log this earthcache, you must send an email with the following information.

1. Line 1: WV Wine Cellars Speleothems: GC56QQV

2. Locate speleothems in these cellars.  From your observations, what type of speleothems do you find?

3. What kind of obvious speleothem is missing?  Why do you suppose this main category is missing?

4. What colors do you observe of the speleothems?  Form a hypothesis: what is causing these colors?  Why supports your hypothesis?

5. Find the longest speleothem from the ceiling you can find.  Make an estimate of its length.  

6. Optional: Since speleothems are considered a national treasure, help make a record of the structures in this location.  To do this, you will need a camera capable of taking pictures in low light environments.  Take a picture of any speleothem you can find.  Post your pictures.

The location you are visiting is part of US History.  The cellars you are visiting were only in operation for three years before the Civil War broke out.  Wine was fermented in these cellars to make wine.  The cellars were carved into the limestone hills and the arched roof was extended out from the hillside.  Once the Civil War broke out, the demand for wine ceased and the cellars were never used again.  

This location is largely unspoiled and looks very much as it did once the war ended.  These cellars were added to the National Historic Site list on July 17, 1970.  Aside from some minor crumbling and doors replaced, you are stepping back into history.

Much of this area is built with limestone: a rock made from sedimentary material on the bottom of an ocean.  That means, at ome time, millions of years ago, the location you are standing was once under several hundred feet of water!  When the continents collided hundreds of millions of years ago, this area was lifted to become the Apalachian Mountains.  The limestone became mountains and the mountains became building material during the Civil War.

Water enters the surface above this location, it slowly dissolves the minerals. The mineral rich water moves through the cracks to this cavern.  As water finds cracks, it drips to the floor below, leaving some of the minerals behind.  This process happens over and over as long as there is a supply of water and minerals. The main mineral in this type of process is calcium carbonate, the main ingredient in limestone, remember where that came from?

The minerals left behind start to form a sedimentary rock called speleothems.  The faster a speleothem is created, the more fragile, the slower, the more stable. 

Stalactites are speleothems that grow from the ceiling.  Cone stalactites are slower growing, cone shaped.  Soda straws are fragile, tubular stalactites usually about the diameter of water drops and fast growing.  Pearls are round, pebble like.  Curtains look like waving fabric along the ceiling.

Stalagmites are speleothems that grow along the floor.  They can look like mushrooms, buttons, donuts, dinner plates, cones or just cover the floor in layers.

Flows are speleothems that from along the wall.  Flows look like frozen water falls.  Flowers look like delicate moss or plants.

Columns are formed when a stalactite and stalagmite connect in a cavern.

Speleothems are considered a national treasure no matter where they form!  Please do not try and remove any.

  To log this earthcache, you must send an email with the following information.

1. Line 1: Iron HorseWV Wine Cellars Speleothems: GC56QQV

2. Locate speleothems in these cellars.  From your observations, what type of speleothems do you find?

3. What kind of obvious speleothem is missing?  Why do you suppose this main category is missing?

4. What colors do you observe of the speleothems?  Form a hypothesis: what is causing these colors?  Why supports your hypothesis?

5. Find the longest speleothem from the ceiling you can find.  Make an estimate of its length.  

6. Optional: Since speleothems are considered a national treasure, help make a record of the structures in this location.  To do this, you will need a camera capable of taking pictures in low light environments.  Take a picture of any speleothem you can find.  Post your pictures.

Sources: Wikipedia, West  Virgina Historic Places, United States Geological Society.