National Speleological Society

AMERICAN SPELEAN HISTORY
ASSOCIATION

The American Spelean History Association (ASHA) is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society that is devoted to the study, interpretation, and dissemination of information about spelean history, which includes folklore, legends, and historical facts about caves throughout the world and the people who are associated with them, their thoughts, philosophies, difficulties, tragedies, and triumphs.

Membership:  Membership in the Association is open to anyone who is interested in the history of man's use of caves.  Membership in the National Speleological Society is not required.  Click here for a membership application.  (If the application doesn't print correctly a  PDF version of  the application is also available).

Journal of Spelean History (ISSN 0022-4693):  This is the Association's publication and is mailed to all members.  It is nominally published on a semi-annual basis, but if insufficient material is available for an issue, the publication schedule may not be met.  The Journal includes articles covering a wide variety of topics relating to man's use of caves, including historical cave explorations, saltpeter and other mineral extraction, show cave development, and other related topics.  It is the primary medium for conveying information and ideas within the caving history community.  All members are strongly encouraged to contribute material and to comment on published material.  Items for publication should be submitted to the Editor.

Cumulative Journal of Spelean History Index and List of Issues Published: A list of published JSH issues is available.  There is also a cumulative index to the issues in searchable HTML format (190 Kbytes) and a printable version of the cumulative index in PDF format (95 Kbytes).

Dues:  Dues (or subscriptions) are $2.00 per Journal of Spelean History issue.  Checks should be made payable to "ASHA" and sent to the Treasurer.  Sorry, we cannot accept credit cards.

NSS Convention Session:  ASHA sponsors the Spelean History session at the annual National Speleological Society Convention, at which papers are presented on a variety of topics of interest to the cave historian.  Anyone is welcome (and encouraged) to present a paper at the session.  Contact the President for additional information about making a presentation or see the Call for Papers for information about submitting a paper the the next NSS Convention. 

Abstracts of recent Spelean History Sessions are available:
2003 Spelean History abstracts (Porterville, California)
2004 Spelean History abstracts (Marquette, Michigan)
2005 Spelean History abstracts (Huntsville, Alabama)
2006 Spelean History abstracts (Bellingham, Washington)
2007 Spelean History abstracts (Marengo, Indiana)
2008 Spelean History abstracts (Lake City, Florida)
2009 Spelean History abstracts (15th International Congress of Speleology in Kerrville, Texas)
 
Annual Association Meeting:  The Association holds its only formal meeting each year at the NSS Convention.  All Association business, including election of officers, is done at that meeting.

Back Issues:  The Journal of Spelean History started publication in 1968 and copies of all back issues are available, although many of the early issues are reprints. Order back issues from the Treasurer.  The cost (postage included) is: Foreign Members:  ASHA Welcomes members from foreign countries.  The rate for all foreign members is US$2.00 per Journal of Spelean History issue and ASHA pays the cost of mailing.  We regret that all checks must be payable in US$ and drawn on a U.S. bank.  Send cash at your own risk.

List of Saltpeter Caves:  Many U.S. caves were used a source of saltpeter (an ingredient in gunpowder) until after the Civil War.  Doug Plemons has produced a comprehensive list of  these caves and the latest edition of his list is available here as a PDF file (75 Kbytes).
For more information: Send e-mail to asha@caves.org if you have any questions about the Association or cave history.

Current ASHA Officers:
President
 Dean Snyder
 3213 Fairland Dr., Schnecksville, PA 18078
Vice-President Carolyn Cronk
 1595 Blueberry Hills Rd., Monument, CO  80132
Secretary-Treasurer Robert Hoke
 6304 Kaybro St., Laurel, MD 20707   (301)725-5877 bob@rhoke.net
JSH Editor
 Greg Brick
 1001 Front Ave., Saint Paul, MN 55103 Aplustre@msn.com

image of the ASHA patch
ASHA patch.  This 4" cloth patch is available for $4.00 and is free to new members who join for at least 8 issues ($16.00).  Send orders to the Treasurer.

Useful links:

www.caves.org  is the National Speleological Society, the national organization of cavers.
 
www.gregbrick.org  Greg Brick, Editor of the JSH, has an evolving Web site that includes information about caves and cave history in the upper midwest.  

www.cavern.com is the National Caves Association, a trade group that includes most of the commercial caves in the United States.
 
www.bluegrassgrotto.org/floyd-c.html is a Web page dedicated to Floyd Collins, the explorer who died in Sand Cave (Kentucky) in 1925 after being trapped for several days.

www.cavehistory.com is a relatively new site about cave history.  It is not associated with the American Spelean History Association.  (As of January, 2008, the site appears to be incomplete and inactive).

(this page last updated or validated on November 11, 2009)