Grotto (National Speleological Society)

A Grotto is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society (NSS). They generally function as the local NSS chapter/club. Many Grottos however, operate in areas outside their local area, with many operating in several states.[1] Most Grottos also participate in Regions which are loose associations of Grottos.[1] Regions are also an internal organization of the National Speleological Society.[1]

Organization

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Grottos are required to meet certain organizational requirements as outlined by the National Speleological Society. These include:[2]

  • A constitution and bylaws that are submitted to, and approved by, the NSS
  • A minimum of at least five members of the Society
  • It is NSS policy that full membership in a Grotto requires NSS membership. However, in practice, this is often not the case.

An annual report describing various aspects of the Grotto is submitted to the NSS.

History

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The New England Grotto was the first NSS Grotto. It was chartered in 1941 with Clay Perry as president and Ned Anderson as vice-president.[3]

Grottos of the NSS

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Below are the Grottos of the NSS as listed in February 2024.[4]

Alabama

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  • Birmingham Grotto
  • Central Alabama Grotto
  • Cullman Grotto
  • Gadsden Grotto
  • Huntsville Grotto
  • Jackson County Grotto
  • Montgomery Grotto
  • RAT Grotto

Alaska

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  • Glacier Grotto

Arizona

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  • Central Arizona Grotto
  • Cochise County Cavers
  • Escabrosa Grotto
  • Mule Mountain Caving Club
  • Northern Arizona Grotto
  • Southern Arizona Grotto

Arkansas

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  • Boston Mountain Grotto
  • Central Region Arkansas Grotto
  • COBRA Grotto
  • Little Rock Grotto[5]
  • Middle Ozark Lower Earth Society MOLES

California

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  • Desert Dog Troglodytes
  • Diablo Grotto
  • Mother Lode Grotto
  • San Diego Grotto
  • San Francisco Bay Chapter of the NSS
  • San Joaquin Valley
  • Shascade Caving Society
  • Shasta Area Grotto
  • Southern California Grotto
  • Stanislaus Speleology Association
  • Waldo Brothers Grotto

Colorado

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  • Colorado Grotto
  • Colorado Western Slope Grotto
  • Front Range Grotto
  • Northern Colorado Grotto
  • Red Canyon Grotto
  • Southern Colorado Mountain
  • Timberline Grotto

Connecticut

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  • Central Connecticut Grotto

Delaware

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  • Commander Cody Caving Club

District of Columbia

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  • District of Columbia Grotto

Florida

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  • Central Florida Grotto
  • Flint River Grotto
  • Florida Speleological Society
  • River City Grotto
  • Tampa Bay Area Grotto

Georgia

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  • Athens Speleological Society
  • Augusta Cave Masters
  • Clayton County Cavers
  • Clock Tower Grotto
  • Dogwood City Grotto
  • Middle Georgia Grotto
  • Pigeon Mountain Grotto
  • Team Poseidon

Hawaii

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  • Hawai'i Grotto

Idaho

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  • Gem State Grotto
  • Silver Sage Grotto

Illinois

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  • Little Egypt Grotto
  • Near Normal Grotto
  • Rock River Speleological Society
  • Sub-Urban Chicago Grotto
  • Windy City Grotto

Indiana

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  • Bloomington Indian Grotto
  • Central Indiana Grotto
  • Eastern Indiana Grotto
  • Evansville Metropolitan Grotto
  • Northern Indiana Grotto
  • Saint Joseph Valley Grotto
  • Western Indiana Grotto

Iowa

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  • Iowa Grotto

Kansas

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  • Kansas City Area Grotto
  • Kansas Speleological Society

Kentucky

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  • Blue Grass Grotto
  • Green River Grotto
  • Louisville Grotto
  • Pine Mountain Grotto
  • Rockcastle Regional Grotto

Louisiana

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  • Crescent City Cavers

Maine

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  • none based out of Maine

Maryland

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  • Baltimore Grotto
  • Frederick Grotto
  • Sligo Grotto
  • Western Maryland Grotto

Massachusetts

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  • Boston Grotto

Michigan

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  • Detroit Urban Grotto
  • Michigan Interlakes Grotto

Minnesota

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  • Minnesota Caving Club
  • Minnesota Speleological Society

Mississippi

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  • JUST Cavers

Missouri

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  • Branson Area Tri-Lakes Grotto
  • Chouteau Grotto
  • Daedalus Cavers Grotto
  • Kansas City Area Grotto
  • Meramec Valley Grotto
  • Middle Mississippi Valley Grotto
  • Missouri School of Mines Spelunkers Club
  • Ozark Highlands Grotto
  • Roubidoux Grotto
  • Springfield Plateau Grotto
  • Stygian Grotto

Montana

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  • Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto

Nebraska

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  • none based out of Nebraska

Nevada

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New Hampshire

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  • none based out of New Hampshire

New Jersey

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  • Central New Jersey Grotto
  • New Jersey Tri-State Speleological Society
  • Northern New Jersey Grotto

New Mexico

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  • Mesilla Valley Grotto
  • New Mexico Tech Student Grotto
  • Parajito Grotto
  • Pecos Valley Grotto
  • Sandia Grotto
  • Sierra Blanca Grotto
  • White Sands Grotto

New York

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  • Helderberg-Hudson Grotto
  • Met Grotto
  • Niagara Frontier Grotto
  • Rensselaer Outing Club
  • Shawangunk-Catskill Area Grotto
  • Syracuse University Outing

North Carolina

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  • Charlotte Caving Club
  • Flittermouse Grotto
  • Triangle Troglodytes

North Dakota

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  • none based out of North Dakota

Ohio

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Oklahoma

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  • Arbuckle Mountains Grotto
  • Central Oklahoma Grotto
  • Tulsa Regional OK Grotto

Oregon

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Pennsylvania

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  • Bald Eagle Grotto
  • Bucks County Grotto
  • Franklin County Grotto
  • Greater Allentown Grotto
  • Huntingdon County Cave Hunters
  • Loyalhanna Grotto
  • Nittany Grotto
  • Philadelphia Grotto
  • Pittsburgh Grotto
  • Seven Valleys Grotto
  • York Grotto

Rhode Island

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  • none based out of Rhode Island

South Carolina

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  • South Carolina Interstate Grotto

South Dakota

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  • Paha Sapa Grotto

Tennessee

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  • Chattanooga Grotto
  • East Tennessee Grotto
  • Mountain Empire Grotto
  • Nashville Grotto
  • Sewanee Mountain Grotto
  • Six Ridges Grotto
  • Smoky Mountain Grotto
  • Southport Chronic Cavers
  • Spencer Mountain Grotto
  • Upper Cumberland Grotto

Texas

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  • Aggie Speleological Society
  • Bexar Grotto
  • Dallas-Fort Worth Grotto
  • Greater Houston Grotto
  • GUAD Grotto
  • Lubbock Area Grotto
  • Permian Basin Speleological Society
  • UT Grotto

Utah

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  • Salt Lake Grotto
  • Timpanogos Grotto
  • Wasatch Grotto[6]

Vermont

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  • Vermont Cavers Association

Virginia

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  • Battlefield Area Troglodyte Society
  • Blue Ridge Grotto
  • Charlottesville Grotto
  • Fredericksburg Underground Network
  • Front Royal Grotto
  • James River Grotto
  • Madison University Student Grotto
  • New River Valley Grotto
  • Richmond Area Speleological Society
  • Tidewater Grotto
  • VPI Cave Club
  • Virginia Highlands Grotto
  • Walker Mountain Grotto

Washington

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  • Cascade Grotto

West Virginia

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  • Charleston Grotto
  • ESSO Grotto
  • Germany Valley Grotto
  • Greenbrier Grotto
  • Monongahela grotto
  • Monroe County Cavers
  • Mountain State Grotto
  • Parkersburg Area Grotto
  • TRA Grotto
  • Tri-State Grotto
  • West Virginia University Student Grotto
  • Western Maryland Grotto

Wisconsin

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  • Great Lakes Cavers
  • Wisconsin Speleological Society[7]

Wyoming

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  • Armpit Grotto
  • Hole-in-the-Wall Grotto

International

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  • Anthros Costa Rica Grotto
  • Balincaguin Conservancy Grotto[8]

Traveling

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  • Gypsy Underground Grotto
  • Israeli Caving Club
  • Out of Bounds Grotto
  • Stonewall Cavers

References

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  1. ^ a b c Weberg, Meredith Hall. NSS News Members Manual. National Speleological Society. p. 2, 53–65.
  2. ^ "Policy for Internal Organizations" (PDF). National Speleological Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-27.
  3. ^ Caving in America. Huntsville, AL: National Speleological Society. 1991. ISBN 0-9615093-7-6.
  4. ^ "List of Grottos". caves.org. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  5. ^ "Little Rock Grotto – [LRG] – Arkansas Cavers". caves.org. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  6. ^ "Wasatch Grotto | Northern Utah Cavers". Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  7. ^ "Wisconsin Speleological Society". www.wisconsincaves.org. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  8. ^ "Balincaguin Conservancy". www.balincaguinconservancy.org. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
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