Handpainted Signs!

 

Billboard History

The first sign painter at Secret Caverns was a man named Legrande Spaulding who, in the early gestational period of Secret Caverns development was responsible for painting the many large billboards that advertised Secret Caverns presence along the highways and backroads of upstate NY. When not painting signs or giving tours to visitors at the caverns, he could be found behind the front desk painting likenesses of the caverns and its waterfall on ceramic mugs for tourists.

After he laid down the painters tools and entered into the great celestial billboard tourist attraction in the sky, Legrand Spauldings signs were faithfully repainted for years by a number of tour guides who were in employment at the caverns. Until 1986...

In 1986 a tornado blew through Schoharie County. In its wake were the splinters, planks, and uprights that once comprised a large portion of Secret Caverns billboards. Slowly the signs were rebuilt and in the course of replacing the old designs newer ideas sprung forth on the clean canvas that was left by the tornado. One of the early designs featured winged monkeys, evil clowns, skeletons, aliens, and other strange and curious elements with the tag "Things you will not see at Secret Caverns." The rest is history.