Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park is seeking a new owner for the first time in 118 years. (Photo: Bright MLS)
Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park in Pennsylvania is seeking a new owner for the first time in 118 years, with the 1,400-acre property listed at an asking price of $34 million. The Campbell family, which has owned and operated the Centre County attraction since 1908, announced Wednesday that it will begin accepting proposals from potential buyers on October 1. Penn’s Cave includes a roughly quarter-mile natural limestone cavern and guided boat tours. (Photo: Penn’s Cave) Estimated to be about 30 million years old, Penn’s Cave is a roughly quarter-mile-long natural limestone cave featuring guided boat tours. The business says millions of people from around the world have visited Penn’s Cave during its nearly 150-year history. The property generates as much as 11 million gallons of water each day. The 1,400-acre property is home to bison, elk, wolves, mountain lions and other wildlife. (Photo: Bright MLS) Beyond the cave, the property includes a wildlife park that is home to a range of animals, including bison, Texas longhorns, elk, white-tailed deer, wild horses, donkeys, mountain lions and wolves. The organization’s shows are billed as the largest antique machinery shows on the East Coast, with the annual event dating back to 1975. The existing lease expires on December 31. Proposals for the 1,400-acre Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park will be accepted beginning October 1, as the Campbell family begins the process of determining who will take over the historic Pennsylvania attraction.
The Campbell family says preserving Penn’s Cave’s legacy will remain a priority during the sale. (Photo: Bright MLS) The sale announcement comes roughly two months after the family revealed that it was considering selling the property to Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Owners Russ and Jeanne Schleiden said the decision to seek a buyer was not taken lightly, stressing that maintaining the attraction and its natural resources remains a priority during the transition. We have a lot of pride in this property and the business,” the owners said in a written statement quoted by the Centre Daily Times. “Continuing the experience we’re known for is our greatest priority throughout this transition,” they said. A nomination form dating to 1883 described the cave’s formations as “varied and fantastic to an extraordinary degree” and called it a “picturesquely beautiful spectacle. Four generations of the Campbell family have worked to preserve the property, establish water rights and acquire surrounding land to support the continued stewardship of its natural resources, according to a company press release. The family said finding a new owner who understands the property’s potential and is committed to its long-term stewardship will be central to the sale process. “Preserving the business and finding the next steward of the land who can see the immense potential of the property and continue the legacy” are among the family’s priorities. During a July commissioners meeting, Benninghoff said several investors had expressed interest in purchasing the property and dividing it into multiple parcels for development. Benninghoff has said he would introduce legislation for the transfer again if he is reelected. Penn’s Cave, however, sought a one-year lease with new conditions, according to court documents. In a letter included in a court filing, Penn’s Cave said its plans for the property were a “strong consideration” in its lease negotiations. “We respect Penn’s Cave and understand that it has interests and decisions to make regarding its property,” association President Doug Leitch said in a written statement.
The property includes Penn’s Cave, described as the only all-water cavern and wildlife park in the United States. “Penn’s Cave has been our family’s legacy. They added that the family would continue maintaining the property with the same level of commitment while searching for its next owner. It is the only cave in Pennsylvania listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The document also described Penn’s Cave and its boat tours as the most widely known tourist attraction in Centre County and among the most popular attractions in Pennsylvania. Other attractions include a maze, gemstone panning, picnic grounds and off-road mountain tours. The property also has a private airport that allows pilots and their passengers to arrive directly at the attraction. The proposal would have turned Penn’s Cave into Pennsylvania’s 126th state park and received support from Centre County commissioners and state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff. However, the state budget was passed without legislation that would have facilitated the transfer. He described that possibility as “a real shame. It remains unclear whether Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration continues to have an interest in acquiring the property. The possible sale has also raised questions about the future of the Nittany Antique Machinery Association’s events at Penn’s Cave. The association has been seeking a five-year lease renewal. “Our hope is that both sides can put those interests on the table, listen to one another and find common ground. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
The association withdrew its request for judicial intervention on Monday, saying it hopes the move will create an opportunity for constructive negotiations between the two organizations.
