The Cretaceous Period

Scientists believe nature began to slowly craft Howe Caverns some six million years ago - long before even the ancient, extinct animal known as the woolly mammoth appeared on Earth. The caverns are unique for more than their age and beauty - they are among a very small number of mineral caves in the world.

In those long-ago, early days, the eastern part of New York State was covered by an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. The waters of this sea swarmed with life: corals, sponges and many creatures similar to oysters, clams and snails were all plentiful. Many of these creatures built their shells from calcium carbonate, which they gathered from the waters around them. Generation after generation of these creatures lived and died in their watery home. And - very slowly - the bottom of the sea became covered with hundreds of feet of the creatures' empty shells and fine particles of dirt.

At first, these deposits were very soft. But as layer upon layer of new deposits fell to the sea bottom, the pressure built up. Finally, the lower layers were pressed into a type of rock called limestone. Millions more years passed, and the continent of North America began to rise slowly out of the sea. This was during the Cretaceous period of Earth's early history, some 65-136 million years ago. As the sea water drained from the rising mass of rock, a brave new land began to form. Hence, the beginning of a remarkable era. Rain fell gently upon the new land. While much of this rain water drained away in brooks and rivers, a great deal of it soaked into the ground, just as it does today during a cloudburst.