The Arch

John Bieber constructed the Arch in 1930, initially as an advertisement for Indian Echo Cave, a natural cavern about 1/2 mile south of the Borough. Trolley tracks ran centered between its columns, and the original wooden arch was raised on protective feet. It served to announce events and welcome visitors to the community until it was removed from the Square in 1955. Indian Echo Cave, formerly known as Echo Cave, became one of the foremost natural attractions in the northeastern U.S. and was comparable to Virginia's Luray Caverns for the type and beauty of its formations. In 1929, Bieber opened the cave to visitors and installed a lighting system, and a year later a second chamber was discovered and opened to the public. The Swartz family purchased the cave property in 1940, and it remains open to visitors. The cave was considered nearly as influential in putting Hummelstown on the map as the Hummelstown Brownstone Company.

Hummelstown, Pennsylvania · United States