Robinson’s Cave
Street 152 W Main StNew Straitsville , OH 43766
740-343-9124 | https://www.facebook.com/nshg1870/
Robinson’s Cave
Robinson’s Cave is a natural cave where labor workers and organizers held meetings that led to the formation of the United Mine Workers of America.
Robinson’s Cave is a natural cave where labor workers and organizers held meetings that led to the formation of the United Mine Workers of America. Signs tell the story of Chris Evans, an organizer from Pennsylvania and a New Straitsville resident, met with miners to form a national labor union. Evans and others went on to form the United Mine Workers and participate in the Great Hocking Valley Coal Strike of 1884-1885.
The cave was originally named after local landowner Seth Robinson and has long been part of the identity of New Straitsville. The town was settled in 1870 after the arrival of the Hocking Valley Railroad and quickly became a booming mining community. The cave served as a secluded meeting spot for organizers to discuss New Straitsville’s participation in a national miners union. Throughout the years, various attractions have been housed in and around the cave, including a carousel and bowling alley. In 2000, it was purchased by the New Straitsville History Group.
Visitors will first see a tall sign adjacent to the history museum. Along a staircase beyond, interpretive signage narrates New Straitsville stories of the cave, the unions, and the mine fires. At the top of the steps, the cave emerges in a grassy clearing. Visitors are able to approach and walk into the cave.
Notes for Travelers
The cave can be wet inside, so use caution when walking around inside. You may get dripped on!