Unlike the county cave survey, as represented in the MAR Bulletins, which have involved many cavers throughtout the Mid-Appalachian Region, the Pennsylvania Cave Database (PCD) began as a one-man show.

The Pennsylvania Cave Database came to realization in 1981 as a database was created using a data processing system devised by Keith Wheeland. Gordon Dayton was the prime mover of the project, with Dr. William B. White as the advisor, and Keith D. Wheeland developed the computer specifications.

The developed system was originally maintained on the mainframe computer at Penn State University as a public service. The database could accept an extensive array of information on cave location, cave type, land owner, geology, and other features. The file was maintained and kept up to date through individual contributions and through careful scruntiny of various Grotto newsletters within the region.

Later, in 1985, the database system was converted to run on a personal computer. The early history of the Pennsylvania Cave Database was published in the Nittany Grotto News, Vol. XXVIII, No. 4, Summer 1981.

In 2007, the responsiblities of the the Pennsylvania Cave Database, was officially transferred from Keith Wheeland, creator and administrator of the database, and placed it under the existing Pennsylvania Cave Conservancy (PCC).

Today, the PCC manages and maintains the cave database through the Pennsylvania Cave Database Committee (PCDC) via a database steward and several county "stewards", which gather and report cave related activity within their county(ies) of responsibility. For additional information regarding the Pennsylvania Cave Database, please refer to the Pennsylvania Cave Conservancy (PCC) website. Information is also provided below for your convenience.

The following are the list of "stewards" involved with the Pennsylvania Cave Database (PCD) for those counties that show limestone and/or dolomite geology in dark blue (see map above).

** Not all counties with limestone/dolomite bedrock, as exhibited on the map, are currently represented in the Pennsylvania Cave Database (PCD) as the the database is in a "fluid-state" and being refined under the responsibilities of the PCC.

Please contact Tony Canike (see below) if you are interested in volunteering as a county steward for any counties listed as an "Open Position".

Note: The Mid-Appalachian Region (MAR) of the NSS, the Pennsylvania Cave Conservancy (PCC), and numerous others would like to thank Keith Wheeland for his generous time, effort, and contribution in creating, and maintaining the cave database since its inception.

As of February 2010, using the criteria established to designate a Pennsylvania cave, the number of caves in PA is currently 1,110 and the total number of references, including "others" (such as mines, fictious caves, shelters, etc.), in the Pennsylvania Cave Database is 1,609.

© CAVR  2012