THE LOST CAVE

There has been much speculation about a cave entrance located near the Banks Cemetery in Pleasantville. Depending on who is telling the story it would seem that the cave was used to store munitions (and possibly soldiers!) by Washington during the Revolutionary War and/or as a hiding place during the Civil War for slaves making their way towards freedom in the northern regions. In either event, the cavern is reported to be huge. The best known account of its existence has been recorded by Elliot H. See and appeared in a local periodical (probably "The Pleasantville Journal") somewhere around 1906.

The tale, according to Mr. See:
So Called Old Poker Hole.
Probably very few living in this vicinity at the present time know of the existence of a cave within the corporate limits of Pleasantvillle. In a ravine on the west side of Mr. George Robbin's farm and a few rods southwest of Mr. Stephen R. Smith's residence is or was an entrance to a cave. About forty-eight years ago Mr. Charlton Millrose and others dug away the earth at the entrance so that a man could easily enter in an upright position. Abram See with another started with a lighted candle and followed the cave through what is now the Banks Cemetery 'till they reached a point under the roadway near the present horseshed. They said at the time they could hear a wagon passing overhead. They then retraced their steps, probably fearing to go further. About this time a young colt belonging to Mr. Benj. Hays wandered in there and never again appeared at the entrance. People for a long time after came miles to see the cave. As a small stream was running close by, the entrance soon began to fill up, and for many years it has been entirely hidden, but the writer and a few others can point out the exact spot. Mr. Elijah Montross remembers entering the opening for a short distance at that time. It would be of interest to the people of the community if the cave could be reopened.

There are varying stories about the closing of the cave. In addition to Mr. See's account of a stream closing the entrance, there exist stories of the cave being intentionally sealed, either because of the colt that disappeared inside or for fear of children playing within it. Some say the closing occurred in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, others place it at the very beginning of the twentieth century.

Repeated attempts to locate the entrance have all failed. Those who said they had at one time seen the entrance or who had been in it could not, so many years later, remember precisely where the entrance was.

Those wishing additional information on the cave should consult:
DeVoe, Howard. 1957. Pleasantville's Lost Cavern: 1882-1957.The Westchester Historian, July, August, September, vol.33, no.3, pp72-74.