OCR Text |
Show Timpanogos Cave Celebrates 50th Anniversary Saturday Saturday, October 14 marks the 50th anniversary of Timpanogos Timp-anogos Cave National Monument. Monu-ment. Superintendent Don H. Castleberry said that on October Oct-ober 14, 1922, President Warren War-ren G. Harding signed a proclamation procla-mation establishing the National Nat-ional Monument to preserve a series of spectacular limestone caves and their surroundings. Total annual visitors have increased from under 15,000 in 1922 to almost 200,000 in 1972, making Timpanogos Cave one of the most popular attractions attract-ions in the state. Superintendent Superinten-dent Castleberry said that the monument has a higher percent per-cent of local visitors than any of the other national monuments monu-ments and parks in the state, but about 40 per cent of all visitors are from out of the state and many are from foreign for-eign countries. Over 10,000 school children visit the national nat-ional monument each year as a part of their school's education educa-tion and environmental study programs. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is one of over 280 areas of the National Park Service, Ser-vice, U.S. Department of Interior, In-terior, which are commemorating commemor-ating the National Park Centennial Cen-tennial this year. To celebrate the Park Centennial Cen-tennial and the 50th birthday of Timpanogos Cave, an open monument center on Saturday, October 14. Supt. Castleberry said activities will include judging and awarding prizes for the photo contest and continuous con-tinuous films in the auditorium. auditor-ium. Beginning at 7:00 p.m. there will be a "torchlight" hike and tour of the caves. The superintendent said anyone any-one wishing to take this unique uni-que tour should bring flashlights, flash-lights, candles or lanterns and should bring warm clothing. The hike will require about three hours and refreshments will be served about 10:00 p.m. at the visitor center. |