Tory Cave (Albany, New York) Explained

The Tory Cave is a limestone cave in the Helderberg Escarpment geologic formation.^[1] Its name is based on a story from the American Revolution, where a Tory — a loyalist to the English monarchy — hid in the cave.^[2] According to some accounts Jacob Salsbury was a loyalist who reported to the British on rebel troop movements.^{[3] [4] [5]}

The cave is near the top of the escarpment.^[4]

Visually interesting ice stalagmites can be found in the cave, in springtime.^[1] There are other caves in the region that do not develop stalagmites.^[4] According to Jim Gould, the author of Rooted in Rock, a partial rock fall blocks drafts that would have prevented the growth of large stalagmites.

References

1. News: Icy Stalagmites in Tory Cave. Schenectady Gazette. 1934-03-30. 2013-08-01.
2. News: Funds from an auction will unlock a chapter of local history. The Altamont Enterprise. Bryce Butler. 1999-02-11. 14. 2013-08-01.
3. News: Close Thacher Park? Don't Even Think About It!. Albany Times Union. Donn Rittner. 2010-02-22. 2013-05-26. During the American Revolution, a cave in the escarpment was the hideout for Jacob Salisbury, a British loyalist (Tory) who led raids on the farmers siding with the patriot cause. He was eventually caught when smoke was seen coming out of the cave and was hung in the cave, which today is known as the “Tory House” or Tory Cave. You can visit the cave along the Indian Ladder trail. There are more than 20 caves within a few miles of each other.
4. News: Rooted in Rock: New Adirondack Writing, 1975-2000. Syracuse University Press. Jim Gould. 2001. 296. 9780815607014. 2013-08-26. During the Revolutionary War, Tory spies were supposed to have made their headquarters here. From this cave, one could look southeasterly towards Albany, where one of the headquarters of the Revolution existed for some time..
5. News: I Can See For Miles – Indian Ladder Trail. Long Island Press. Jaclyn Gallucci. 2013-06-19. 2013-08-26. During the American Revolution a British loyalist, or Tory, hid in one of these caves and led raids on patriot farms in the valley below. The smoke from his campfire streaming through cracks in the limestone gave his hiding spot away and he was soon captured in what later was named the Tory Cave..