Alexander Caverns remembered at Historical Society dinner
MEXICO -- Known for his remarkable storytelling, Forest Fisher is well suited to share the tales of "Alexander Caverns: Mifflin County's Once Spectacular Show Cave."
In fact, Fisher authored a book about the subject, which was published earlier this year by the Mifflin County Historical Society.
Now, Fisher will serve as the featured speaker at the Juniata County Historical Society's Fall Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the Walker Grange, 6611 William Penn Hwy. in Mexico.
"One of the reasons for the JCHS presentation, not only am I a life member there, my mother's paternal line on both sides settled in Juniata County, the Kepler line near Port Royal and the Leyder side near Thompsontown," Fisher explained.
"Anne Elizabeth Leyder married George B.M. Kepler. My mom's father was Luther Forest Kepler, second youngest of four of six children who survived to adulthood. It was Luther and wife Iva Kemrer Kepler, who operated Alexander Caverns in its last 10-plus years of existence."
A volunteer with the Mifflin County Historical Society and accomplished author, Fisher grew up around the cave. His grandparents leased and managed the business for more than a decade, until its final closure in 1953.
Fisher will also feature an exhibit of Alexander Caverns memorabilia.
As a child, Fisher lived in the manager's house on the cavern grounds with his parents and tagged along on cave tours and other events.
"My mom, Iva Anne Kepler Fisher, and my dad, Henry Fisher, along with me, their only child at that time, lived in the cave manager's house from 1950 to 1953," Fisher said. "It is this connection to Alexander Caverns, plus its history, discovery, development, commercialization, eventual closure and current status, that I write about."
The story is built around information from the Alexander family, corporate papers held by his family, cave enthusiasts who freely shared their knowledge, plus his family's photo archives. Fisher teamed up with professional photographer, Ryan R. Maurer, who captured portions of the cave that are inaccessible to the public, in an astonishing photo easy of the caverns.
A review of Fisher's book just appeared in the September 2023 issue of National Speleological Society News.
The fall dinner menu includes roast chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, succotash, baked apples and angel food cake with topping. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., with a short business meeting before Fisher's presentation.
"I would encourage anyone who is interested in history to go because Forest's work in the history field is terrific," said Jessica Eaton Guyer, volunteer with the Juniata County Historical Society and curator at the Tuscarora Academy Museum. "I'm so happy that the banquet organizers were able to book him as the guest speaker."
There will also be a 50/50 drawing; the first ticket drawn will be for the proceeds and the second ticket drawn will be for a print, "Evening at the Station," by the late George Losch. The signed and numbered print of the painting of the Thompsontown Train Station was done in 1994.
Tickets cost $20 and are on sale at the Juniata County Historical Society Archives from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays or 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays.
For more information, call (717) 436-5152 to reserve tickets or mail a check to the Juniata County Historical Society, 498 Jefferson St., Suite B, Mifflintown, PA 17059, with a stamped return envelope to have tickets mailed. The ticket deadline is Oct. 17.