Mammoth Cave National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location	Kentucky, USA
Nearest city	Cave City
Coordinates	37°11′0″N 86°6′0″W / 37.18333, -86.1
Area	52,835 acres (214 km²)
Established	July 1, 1941
Visitors	597,934 (in 2006)
Governing body	National Park Service

Mammoth Cave National Park*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Natural
Criteria	vii, viii, x
Reference	150
Region†	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1981  (5th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Mammoth Cave National Park is a U.S. National Park in central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. The official name of the system is the Mammoth Cave System for the ridge under which the cave has formed. The park was established as a national park on July 1, 1941. It became a World Heritage Site on October 27, 1981, and an international Biosphere Reserve on September 26, 1990. The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... This article is about national parks. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Cave City is a city in Barren County, Kentucky, United States. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1033, 876 KB) Rotunda Room, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky USGS Photo File links The following pages link to this file: Mammoth Cave National Park ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This is a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... The parks of the United States National Park system are one type of protected area in the United States and are operated by the National Park Service. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ... This article is about national parks. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... A biosphere reserve is an international conservation designation given by UNESCO under its Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB). ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

The park's 52,830 acres (214 km²) are located in Edmonson County, Kentucky, with small areas extending eastward into Hart County and Barren County. It is centered around the Green River, with a tributary, the Nolin River, feeding into the Green just inside the park. The Green River is dammed near the western boundary of the park, so that the river only flows freely for a small section in the eastern part of the park. Edmonson County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. ... Hart County is a county located in the U.S. state — or, more correctly, Commonwealth — of Kentucky. ... Barren County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. ... The Green River is a tributary of the Ohio River that rises in Lincoln County in south-central Kentucky. ... Look up tributary in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Nolin River is a tributary of the Green River, 105 mi (169 km) long, in central Kentucky in the United States. ...

Limestone labyrinth

Mammoth Cave developed in thick Mississippian-aged limestone strata capped by a layer of sandstone, making the system remarkably stable. It is known to include more than 367 miles (591 kilometers) of passageway; new discoveries and connections add several miles to this figure each year. “Mississippian” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see strata (novel) and strata title. ... Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ...

The upper sandstone member is known as the Big Clifty Sandstone: thin, sparse layers of limestone interspersed within the sandstones give rise to an epikarstic zone, in which tiny conduits (cave passages too small to enter) are dissolved. The epikarstic zone concentrates local flows of runoff into high-elevation springs which emerge at the edges of ridges. The resurgent water from these springs typically flows briefly on the surface before sinking underground again at elevation of the contact between the sandstone caprock and the underlying massive limestones. It is in these underlying massive limestone layers that the human-explorable caves of the region are developed. The Big Clifty Sandstone is a geologic formation in Kentucky. ... Caving frequently involves a lot of mud. ...

The limestone layers of the stratigraphic column beneath the Big Clifty, in increasing order of depth below the ridgetops, are the Girkin Formation, the Ste. Genevieve Limestone, and the St. Louis Limestone. For example, the large Main Cave passage seen on the Historic Tour is located at the bottom of the Girkin and the top of the St. Genevieve. Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, is basically the study of rock layers and layering. ... The Girkin Formation is a geologic formation located in the Chester Escarpment of central Kentucky. ... The Ste. ... The St. ...

The Bottomless Pit in Mammoth Cave - Woodcut dated 1887 (From the Nuno Carvalho de Sousa Private Collections - Lisbon)

Each of the primary layers of limestone are divided further into named units and subunits. One area of cave research involves correlating the stratigraphy with the cave survey produced by explorers. This makes it possible to produce three dimensional approximate maps of the contours of the various layer boundaries without the necessity for test wells and extracting core samples. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

The upper sandstone caprock is relatively hard for water to penetrate: the exceptions are where vertical cracks occur. This protective role means that many of the older, upper passages of the cave system are very dry, with no stalactites, stalagmites, or other formations which require flowing or dripping water to develop. Water droplet coming out of the central canal of a stalactite A stalactite (Greek stalaktites, (Σταλακτίτης), from the word for drip and meaning that which drips) is a type of speleothem(secondary mineral) that hangs from the ceiling or wall of limestone caves. ... The Witchs Finger in the Carlsbad Caverns A stalagmite (from the Greek stalagma (Σταλαγμίτης), drop or drip) is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. ...

However, the sandstone caprock layer has been dissolved and eroded at many locations within the park, such as the Frozen Niagara room. The "contact" between limestone and sandstone can be found by hiking from the valley bottoms to the ridgetops: typically, as one approaches the top of a ridge, the outcrops of exposed rock seen change in composition from limestone to sandstone at a well-defined elevation, neglecting slump blocks of sandstone which have broken off the ridgetops and tumbled down the limestone slopes below.

At one valley bottom in the southern region of the park, a massive sinkhole has developed. Known as "Cedar Sink," the sinkhole features a small river entering one side and disappearing back underground at the other side. Devils Hole near Hawthorne, Florida, USA. A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the surface topography caused by the removal of soil or bedrock, often both, by water. ...

Mammoth Cave is home to the endangered Kentucky cave shrimp, a sightless albino shrimp. The Siberian Tiger is a subspecies of tiger that are critically endangered. ... Binomial name Palaemonias ganteri Hay, 1901 The Kentucky cave shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri) is an eyeless, troglodyte shrimp found in caves in three counties of Kentucky. ... Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ...

Visiting

A ranger guided tour of the cave.

The National Park Service offers several cave tours to visitors. Many of the most famous features of the cave, such as Grand Avenue, Frozen Niagara, and Fat Man's Misery, can be seen on lighted tours ranging from one to six hours in length. Two tours, lit only by visitor-carried paraffin lamps, are popular alternatives to the electric-lit routes. Several "wild" tours venture away from the developed parts of the cave into muddy crawls and dusty tunnels. The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ...

The park's tours are notable for the quality of the interpretive program, with occasional graphics accompanying artifacts on display at certain points in the cave. The lectures delivered by the National Park Service cave guides are varied by tour, so that in taking several tours the visitor learns about different facets of the cave's formation, or of the cave's human history and prehistory. Most guides are quite knowledgeable and open to visitor's questions. Many guides include a "theatrical" component, making their presentations entertaining with gentle humor. The guide traditions at Mammoth Cave date back to the period just after the War of 1812, and to guides such as Stephen Bishop. The style of this humor itself is part of the living tradition of the cave guides, and is duly a part of the interpretive program. This article is about the U.S.–U.K. war. ... Stephen Bishop Stephen Bishop (1820?–1857) was a mulatto slave famous for being one of the lead explorers and guides to the Mammoth Cave in the U.S. state of Kentucky. ...

The Echo River Tour, one of the cave's most famous attractions, used to take visitors on a boat ride along an underground river. The tour was discontinued for logistic and environmental reasons in the early 1990s.^[1]

Interested members of the public can join an Earthwatch.org sponsored field survey of the history of Mammoth Cave.^[2] However, due to Mammoth Cave park regulations, participation on this project is restricted to US citizens only.

Park superintendents

The World Heritage Site plaque.

List is incomplete.^[3][4] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 3. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State...

• Robert P. Holland; September 2, 1936 – June 21, 1938; acting
• R. Taylor Hoskins; June 22, 1938 – June 30, 1941; acting
• R. Taylor Hoskins; July 1, 1941 – March 31, 1951
• Thomas C. Miller; April 1, 1951 – June 30, 1954
• Perry E. Brown; July 1, 1954 – September 14, 1963
• Paul McG. Miller; September 15, 1963 – December 30, 1965
• John A. Aubuchon; January 2, 1966 – September 7, 1968
• Robert H. Bendt; September 8, 1968 – January 23, 1971; assigned line supervision of Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, September 2, 1970 – April 27, 1975
• Joseph Kulesza; February 21, 1971 – May 31, 1976
• Albert A. Hawkins; July 4, 1976 – August 11, 1979
• Robert L. Deskins; August 12, 1979 – September 1, 1984
• Richard N. Strange; September 2, 1984 – December 8, 1984; acting
• Franklin D. Pridemore; December 9, 1984 – January 2, 1988
• David A. Mihalic; January 3, 1988 – July 1994^[5]
• Ronald R. Switzer; March 1995 – January 2005
• Bruce Powell; January 2005 – January 2006; acting
• Patrick Reed; January 2006 –^[6]

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Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...

History

The story of human beings in relation to Mammoth Cave is a long one, spanning six thousand years. It is also a complex story, involving not only themes of human exploration and exploitation of the cave, but the lifeways of the cultures which have lived in the surrounding region. The relation between people and their environment is always bidirectional, and this is exemplified in the history of the Mammoth Cave region.

Prehistory

Several sets of Native American remains have been recovered from Mammoth Cave, or other nearby caves in the region, in both the 19th and 20th centuries, by 1813 on the early side (the "Short Cave Mummy.") Most mummies found present examples of intentional burial, with ample evidence of pre-Columbian funerary practice.

An exception to purposeful burial was discovered when in 1935 the remains of an adult male were discovered by Grover Campbell and Lyman Cutliff under a huge boulder. The boulder had shifted and settled onto the victim, a pre-Columbian miner, who had disturbed the rubble supporting it. The remains of the ancient victim were named "Lost John" and exhibited to the public into the 1970s, when they were interred in a secret location in Mammoth Cave for reasons of preservation as well as emerging political sensitivities with respect to the public display of Native American remains.

Research beginning in the late 1950s led by Dr. Patty Jo Watson of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri has done much to illuminate the lives of the late Archaic and early Woodland peoples who explored and exploited caves in the region. Preserved by the constant cave environment, dietary evidence yielded carbon dates enabling Dr. Watson and others to determine the age of the specimens, and an analysis of their content, also pioneered by Dr. Watson, allows determination of the relative content of plant and meat in the diet of either culture over a period spanning several thousand years. This analysis indicates a timed transition from a hunter-gatherer culture to plant domestication and agriculture. Patty Jo Watson is an American archaeologist. ... Washington University redirects here. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ...

Another technique employed in archaeological research at Mammoth Cave was "experimental archaeology", also an innovation of Dr. Watson's, in which modern explorers were sent into the cave using the same technology as that employed by the ancient cultures whose leftover implements lie discarded in many parts of the cave. The goal was to gain insight into the problems faced by the ancient people who explored the cave, by placing the researchers in a similar physical situation.

Ancient human remains and artifacts within the caves are protected by various federal and state laws. One of the most basic facts to be determined about a newly discovered artifact is its precise location and situation. Even slightly moving a prehistoric artifact contaminates it from a research perspective. Explorers are properly trained not to disturb archaeological evidence, and some areas of the cave remain out-of-bounds for even seasoned explorers, unless the subject of the trip is archaeological research on that area.

Besides the remains that have been discovered near the historic entrance of mammoth cave, the remains of cane torches used by Native Americans were found in Salts Cave in Flint Ridge.

Earliest known history

Map of Mammoth Cave from 1842, penned by Stephen Bishop: unusual for a slave, he was given complete credit.

The 31,000-acre (130 km²) tract known as the "Pollard Survey" was sold by indenture September 10, 1791 in Philadelphia by William Pollard. 19,897 acres (80.52 km²) of the "Pollard Survey" between the North bank of Bacon Creek and the Green River (Kentucky) were purchased by Thomas Lang, Jr., a British American merchant from York County, England on June 3, 1796, for £4,116.13S. The land was lost to a local county tax claim during the War of 1812. Download high resolution version (510x757, 20 KB)Map of Mammouth Cave, US NPS website, PD File links The following pages link to this file: Mammoth Cave National Park ... Download high resolution version (510x757, 20 KB)Map of Mammouth Cave, US NPS website, PD File links The following pages link to this file: Mammoth Cave National Park ... An Indentured servant is an unfree labourer under contract to work (for a specified amount of time) for another person, often without any pay, but in exchange for accommodation, food, other essentials and/or free passage to a new country. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... The Green River is a tributary of the Ohio River that rises in Lincoln County in south-central Kentucky. ... British Americans are citizens of the British or partial British ancestry. ... This article is about the U.S.–U.K. war. ...

Legend has it that the first European to discover Mammoth Cave was John Houchin, in 1797. While hunting, Houchin pursued a wounded bear to the cave's large entrance opening near the Green River. Countervailing against this story is Brucker and Watson's The Longest Cave, which asserts that the cave was "certainly known before that time." Green River may refer to: Canada Green River (Whistler,BC), Runs out of Green Lake and heads toward Pemberton. ...

The land containing this Historic Entrance was first surveyed and registered in 1798 under the name of Valentine Simons. Simons began exploiting Mammoth Cave for its saltpeter reserves. Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO₃)₂) deposited as bat guano was leached from cave soils and converted via double replacement reaction with potash (potassium carbonate, empirical formula K₂CO₃) to produce Potassium nitrate (KNO₃) or saltpeter, an ingredient of gunpowder. Calcium nitrate, also called Norgessalpeter (Norwegian saltpeter) and Kalksalpeter, is a white coloured soluble salt with the formula Ca(NO3)2. ... For other uses, see Calcium (disambiguation). ... Trinitrate redirects here. ... In a chemical double displacement reaction (double replacement, metathesis, or ion exchange reactions) two compounds swap ions, effectively displacing each other to form two new compounds, thus the name. ... Potash Potash (or carbonate of potash) is an impure form of potassium carbonate (K2CO3). ... Flash point Not flammable Related Compounds Other cations Lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate, caesium carbonate Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 Â°C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references Potassium carbonate is a white salt, soluble in water (insoluble in alcohol), which forms... In chemistry, the empirical formula of a chemical compound is a simple expression of the relative number of each type of atom in it. ... General Name, symbol, number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, period, block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 39. ... Ball-and-stick model of the carbonate ion, CO32− For other meanings, see Carbonate (disambiguation) In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt or ester of carbonic acid. ... R-phrases   S-phrases   Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... General Name, symbol, number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, period, block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 39. ... General Name, symbol, number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, period, block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless gas Standard atomic weight 14. ... This article is about the chemical element and its most stable form, or dioxygen. ... R-phrases   S-phrases   Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... A modern black powder substitute for muzzleloading rifles in FFG size Gunpowder (also called black powder) is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre or saltpeter) that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as...

19th century

In partnership with Valentine Simon, various other individuals would own the land through the War of 1812, when Mammoth Cave's saltpeter reserves became significant due to the British blockade of United States's ports. The blockade starved the American military of saltpeter and therefore gunpowder. As a result, the domestic price of saltpeter rose and production based on nitrates extracted from caves such as Mammoth Cave became more lucrative. This article is about the U.S.–U.K. war. ...

In July 1812, the cave was purchased from Simon and other owners by Charles Wilkins and an investor from Philadelphia named Hyman Gratz. Soon the cave was being mined for calcium nitrate on an industrial scale. Calcium nitrate, also called Norgessalpeter (Norwegian saltpeter) and Kalksalpeter, is a white coloured soluble salt with the formula Ca(NO3)2. ...

A half-interest in the cave changed hands for ten thousand dollars (a huge sum at the time). After the war when prices fell, the workings were abandoned and it became a minor tourist attraction centering on a Native American mummy discovered nearby. This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... For other uses, see Mummy (disambiguation). ...

When Wilkins died his estate's executors sold his interest in the cave to Gratz. In the spring of 1838, the cave was sold by the Gratz brothers to Franklin Gorin, who intended to operate Mammoth Cave purely as a tourist attraction, the bottom long having since fallen out of the saltpeter market. Gorin was a slave owner, and used his slaves as tour guides. One of these slaves would make a number of important contributions to human knowledge of the cave, and become one of Mammoth Cave's most celebrated historical figures.

Stephen Bishop, an African-American slave and a guide to the cave during the 1840s and 1850s, was one of the first persons to make extensive maps of the cave, and named many of the cave's features. Stephen Bishop Stephen Bishop (1820?–1857) was a mulatto slave famous for being one of the lead explorers and guides to the Mammoth Cave in the U.S. state of Kentucky. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Map (disambiguation). ...

Stephen Bishop was introduced to Mammoth Cave in 1838 by Franklin Gorin. Gorin wrote, after Bishop's death: "I placed a guide in the cave --- the celebrated and great Stephen, and he aided in making the discoveries. He was the first person who ever crossed the Bottomless Pit, and he, myself and another person whose name I have forgotten were the only persons ever at the bottom of Gorin's Dome to my knowledge.

"After Stephen crossed the Bottomless Pit, we discovered all that part of the cave now known beyond that point. Previous to those discoveries, all interest centered in what is known as the "Old Cave" . . . but now many of the points are but little known, although as Stephen was wont to say, they were 'grand, gloomy and peculiar.'^[7]

In 1839, Dr. John Croghan of Louisville bought the Mammoth Cave Estate, including Bishop and its other slaves from their previous owner, Franklin Gorin. Croghan briefly ran an ill-fated tuberculosis hospital in the cave, the vapors of which he believed would cure his patients. A widespread epidemic of the period, tuberculosis would ultimately claim the lives of both Bishop and Croghan. Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Louisville redirects here. ... Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or Tuberculosis) is a common and deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ...

Throughout the 19th century, the fame of Mammoth Cave would grow so that the cave became an international sensation.

At the same time, the cave attracted the attention of 19th century writers such as Dr. Robert Montgomery Bird, the Rev. Robert Davidson, the Rev. Horace Martin, Alexander Clark Bullitt, Nathaniel Parker Willis (who visited in June 1852), Bayard Taylor (in May, 1855), Dr. William Stump Forwood (in Spring 1867), the naturalist John Muir (early September 1867), the Rev. Horace Carter Hovey, and others.^[8] Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806 - January 20, 1867) was an American author. ... Bayard Taylor (James) (January 11, 1825 – December 19, 1878) U.S. writer, was born at Kennett Square in Chester County, Pennsylvania. ... For other persons named John Muir, see John Muir (disambiguation). ...

As a result of the growing renown of Mammoth Cave, the cave boasted famous visitors such as actor Edwin Booth, singer Jenny Lind (who visited the cave on April 5, 1851), and violinist Ole Bull. Edwin Booth as Hamlet. ... First U.S.Daguerrotype of Jenny Lind in New York, September 14, 1850 taken by her Swedish classmate, Poly Von Schneidau from Chicago, at the Mathew Brady Studio in New York City. ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Ole Bull Ole Bull Ole Borneman Bull (February 5, 1810 – August 17, 1880) was a Norwegian violinist. ...

Early 20th century: The Kentucky Cave Wars

Mammoth Cave National Park in the early 1900s

The difficulties of farming life in the hardscrabble, poor soil of the cave country influenced local owners of smaller nearby caves to see opportunities for commercial exploitation, particularly given the success of Mammoth Cave as a tourist attraction. The "Kentucky Cave Wars" were a period of bitter competition between local cave owners for tourist money. Broad tactics of deception were used to lure visitors away from their intended destination to these private show caves. Misleading signs were placed along the roads leading to the Mammoth Cave. A typical strategy during the early days of automobile travel involved a representative of a private show cave hopping aboard a tourist's car's running board, to "explain" to the passengers that Mammoth Cave was closed, quarantined, caved in or otherwise inaccessible. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

In 1906, Mammoth Cave became accessible by steamboat with the construction of a lock and dam at Brownsville, Kentucky. The construction of this dam has had a long-term impact on the biota of the cave. The dam's construction would also prove to have implications for the story of the cave's exploration. For other uses, see Steamboat (disambiguation). ... Brownsville is a city located in Edmonson County, Kentucky. ...

In 1908, Max Kaemper, a young German mining engineer arrived at the cave by way of New York. Kaemper had just graduated from technical college and his family had sent him on a trip abroad as a graduation present. Originally intending to spend two weeks at Mammoth Cave, Kaemper spent several months. With the assistance of African-American slave descendant Ed Bishop, Kaemper produced a remarkably accurate instrumental survey of many kilometers of Mammoth Cave, including many new discoveries. Reportedly, Kaemper also produced a corresponding survey of the land surface overlying the cave: this information would have been useful in the opening of other entrances to the cave, as soon happened with the Violet City entrance. Max Kaemper (died November 10, 1916) was a German citizen and engineer. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ...

The Croghan family suppressed the topographic element of Kaempers map, and it is not known to survive today, although the cave map portion of Kaemper's work stands as a triumph of accurate cave cartography: not until the early 1960s and the advent of the modern exploration period would these passages be surveyed and mapped with greater accuracy. Kaemper returned to Berlin, and from the point of view of the Mammoth Cave country, disappeared entirely. It was not until the turn of the 21st century that a group of German tourists, after visiting the cave, researched Kaemper's family and determined his sad fate: the young Kaemper was killed in trench warfare in World War I at the Battle of the Somme (1916) just eight years later. {{subst:empty template|}} {{Copyviocore |url= |month = {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} |day = {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} |year = {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}} |time = {{subst:CURRENTTIME}} |timestamp = {{subst:CURRENTTIMESTAMP}}}} Trench warfare is a form of warfare where both combatants have fortified positions and fighting lines are static. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants British Empire Australia Canada New Zealand Newfoundland South Africa United Kingdom France German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Joseph Joffre Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below Strength 13 British & 11 French divisions (initial) 51 British and 48 French divisions (final) 10. ...

Famed French cave explorer Édouard-Alfred Martel visited the cave for three days in October 1912. Without access to the closely held survey data, Martel was permitted to make barometric observations in the cave for the purpose of determining the relative elevation of different locations in the cave. He identified different levels of the cave, and correctly noted that the level of Echo River within the cave was controlled by that of the Green River on the surface. Martel lamented the 1906 construction of the dam at Brownsville, pointing out that this made a full hydrologic study of the cave impossible. Among his precise descriptions of the hydrogeologic setting of Mammoth Cave, Martel offered the speculative conclusion that Mammoth Cave was connected to Salts and Colossal Caves: this would not be proven correct until 60 years after Martel's visit.^[9] Édouard-Alfred Martel (1859 - 1938), the father of modern speleology, was a world pioneer of cave exploration, study, and documentation. ...

In the early 1920s, George Morrison blasted a number of entrances to Mammoth Cave on land not owned by the Croghan Estate. Absent the data from the Croghan's secretive surveys, performed by Kaemper, Bishop, and others, which had not been published in a form suitable for determining the geographic extent of the cave, it was now conclusively shown that the Croghans had been for years exhibiting portions of Mammoth Cave which were not under land they owned. Lawsuits were filed and for a time, different entrances to the cave were operated in direct competition with each other.

In the early 20th century, Floyd Collins spent ten years exploring the Flint Ridge Cave System (the most important legacy of these explorations was the discovery of Floyd Collins' Crystal Cave and exploration in Salts cave) before dying at Sand Cave, Kentucky, in 1925. While exploring Sand Cave, he dislodged a rock onto his leg while in a tight crawlway and was unable to free himself.^[10] Attempts to rescue Collins created a media sensation. Floyd Collins. ...

The National Park Movement (1926–1941)

Trails wind through the park.

Visitors on a tour in Mammoth cave.

As the last of the Croghan heirs died, advocacy momentum grew among wealthy citizens of Kentucky for the establishment of Mammoth Cave National Park. Private citizens formed the Mammoth Cave National Park Association in 1926. The Park was authorized May 25, 1926. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1000 × 1500 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1000 × 1500 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 759 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)When using certain template tags on talk pages, dont forget to substitute with text by adding subst: to the template tag. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 759 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)When using certain template tags on talk pages, dont forget to substitute with text by adding subst: to the template tag. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Donated funds were used to purchase some farmsteads in the region, while other tracts within the proposed National Park boundary were acquired by right of eminent domain. In contrast to the formation of other National Parks in the sparsely populated American West, thousands of people would be forcibly relocated in the process of forming Mammoth Cave National Park. Often eminent domain proceedings were bitter, with landowners paid what was considered to be inadequate sums. The resulting acrimony still resonates within the region. Eminent domain (United States), compulsory purchase (United Kingdom, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Australia) or expropriation (Canada, South Africa) in common law legal systems is the inherent power of the state to seize a citizens private property, expropriate property, or rights in property, without the owner...

For legal reasons, the federal government was prohibited from restoring or developing the cleared farmsteads while the private Association held the land: this regulation was evaded by the operation of "a maximum of four" CCC camps from May 22, 1933 to July 1942.^[11][12] CCC workers on road construction, Camp Euclid, Ohio 1936 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a work relief program for young men from unemployed families, established on March 19, 1933 by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

According to the National Park Service,^[13] "On May 14, 1934 the minimum park area was provided. On May 22, 1936, the minimum area was accepted for administration and protection." May 14 is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Superintendent Hoskins later wrote of a summer tanager named Pete who arrived at the guide house on or around every April 20, starting in 1938. The bird ate from food held in the hands of the guides, to the delight of visitors, and provided food to his less-tame mate.^[14] Binomial name Piranga rubra (Linnaeus, 1758) The Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, is a medium-sized songbird of the Tanager family, Thraupidae. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Birth of the National Park (1941)

Mammoth Cave National Park was officially dedicated on July 1, 1941. By coincidence, the same year saw the incorporation of the National Speleological Society. R. Taylor Hoskins, the second Acting Superintendent under the old Association, became the first official Superintendent, a position he held until 1951. is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... The National Speleological Society (NSS) is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. ...

The New Entrance, closed to visitors since 1941, was reopened on December 26, 1951, becoming the entrance used for the beginning of the Frozen Niagara tour.^[15] is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

"The Longest Cave" (1954–1972)

Staircase tower in mammoth Dome

By 1954, Mammoth Cave National Park's land holdings encompassed all lands within its outer boundary with the exception of two privately held tracts. One of these, the old Lee Collins farm, had been sold to Harry Thomas of Horse Cave Kentucky, whose grandson, William "Bill" Austin, operated Collins Crystal Cave as a show cave in direct competition with the National Park, which was forced to maintain roads leading to the property. Condemnation and purchase of the Crystal Cave property seemed only a matter of time.

In February 1954, a two-week expedition under the auspices of the National Speleological Society was organized at the invitation of Austin: this expedition became known as C-3, or the "Collins Crystal Cave" expedition.^[16] The National Speleological Society (NSS) is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. ...

The C-3 expedition drew public interest, first from a photo essay published by Robert Halmi (in either Sports Illustrated or Look magazine) and later from the publication of a double first-person account of the expedition, The Caves Beyond: The Story of the Collins Crystal Cave Expedition by Joe Lawrence, Jr. (then president of the National Speleological Society) and Roger W. Brucker. The expedition proved conclusively that passages in Crystal Cave extended toward Mammoth Cave proper, at least exceeding the Crystal Cave property boundaries. However, this information was closely held by the explorers: it was feared that the National Park Service might forbid exploration were this known.^[17] The first issue of Sports Illustrated, August 16, 1954, showing Milwaukee Braves star Eddie Mathews at bat in Milwaukee County Stadium. ... Look was a weekly, general-interest magazine published in the United States from 1937 to 1971, with more of an emphasis on photographs than articles. ...

In 1955 Crystal cave was connected with Unknown cave, the first connection in the Flint Ridge system.

Some of the participants in the C3 expedition wished to continue their explorations past the conclusion of the C-3 Expedition, and organized as the Flint Ridge Reconnaissance under the guidance of Austin, Jim Dyer, John J. Lehrberger and Dr. E. Robert Pohl. This organization was incorporated in 1957 as the Cave Research Foundation, Inc. The organization sought to legitimize the cave explorers' activity through the support of original academic and scientific research. Notable scientists who studied Mammoth Cave during this period include Patty Jo Watson (see section on prehistory.) Approaching a cave entrance, NPS Photo The Cave Research Foundation (CRF) is an American private, non-profit group dedicated to the exploration, research, and conservation of caves. ... Patty Jo Watson is an American archaeologist. ...

Colossal Cave was connected to Salts Cave in 1960 and in 1961 all the cave entrances in the Flint Ridge system were connected.

In March 1961, the Crystal Cave property was eventually sold to the National Park Service for a sum of USD $285,000.^[18] At the same time, the Great Onyx Cave property, the only other remaining private inholding, was purchased for USD $365,000. The Cave Research Foundation was permitted to continue their exploration through a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Service. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... An inholding is privately owned land inside the boundary of a national park, national forest, state park, or similar publicly-owned protected area. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Flint–Mammoth Connection (1972)

River Styx, one of the cave's semi-subterranean waterways, emerges onto the surface in the park.

On September 9, 1972, a Cave Research Foundation mapping team led by Dr. John P. Wilcox, Patricia Crowther, Richard B. Zopf, Dr. P. Gary Eller, Stephen G. Wells, and Cleveland F. Pinnix (a National Park Service Ranger) managed to pursue a low, wet passage that linked two of the area's long cave systems—Flint Ridge Cave System to Mammoth Cave. This connection made the combined Flint–Mammoth Cave System the world's longest. (Flint Ridge had itself recently surpassed Hölloch Cave, in Switzerland, as the world's longest cave.) is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Approaching a cave entrance, NPS Photo The Cave Research Foundation (CRF) is an American private, non-profit group dedicated to the exploration, research, and conservation of caves. ... This article is about the cave explorer, for the Wiccan see Patricia Crowther (Wiccan) Patricia (Pat) Crowther was an active and dedicated caver and cave-surveyor in the 1960s and early 1970s. ... Hölloch Cave is a 190km cave situated between the river Muota and the area of the Pragelpass in the Valley of Muotha in Switzerland. ...

On a previous trip deep in the Flint Ridge Cave System, Patricia Crowther—with her slight frame of 115 pounds (52 kilograms)—crawled through a narrow canyon later dubbed the "Tight Spot", which acted as a filter for larger cavers. Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Kg redirects here. ...

A subsequent trip fielded past the Tight Spot by Crowther, Wilcox, Zopf, and Tom Brucker found the name "Pete H" inscribed on the wall with an arrow pointing in the direction of Mammoth Cave.^[19] The name is believed to have been carved by Pete Hanson, who was active in exploring the cave in the 1930s. Hanson was killed in World War II. The passage was named Hanson's Lost River. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

On the September 9 trip, following Hanson's Lost River led the six-person team to Cascade Hall in Mammoth Cave, final proof that the caves were connected. John Wilcox emerged in waist deep water to see a regular horizontal line across his field of vision, which proved to be a tourist handrail: the "One small step for a man" quote for "conquering the Everest of speleology" was his exclamation to the others "I see a tourist trail!" Of all of the many miles of Mammoth Cave, only a small fraction is developed with trails and lighting, so it was remarkable that the moment of connection took place in an utterly familiar setting. is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article covers the Apollo 11 mission itself. ... Everest redirects here. ... Grotte des Faux-Monnayeurs, Switzerland Speleology is the scientific study of caves and other karst features, their make-up, structure, physical properties, history, life forms, and the processes by which they form (speleogenesis) and change over time (speleomorphology). ...

Recent discoveries

Further connections between Mammoth Cave and smaller caves or cave systems have followed, notably to Proctor/Morrison Cave (Proctor cave was discovered by Jonathan Doyle, a Union army deserter during the Civil war and was later owned by the Mammoth cave railroad, before being explored by the CRF, whereas Morrison cave was discovered by George Morrison in the 1920s) beneath nearby Joppa Ridge in 1979. This connection pushed the frontier of Mammoth exploration southeastward.

At the same time, discoveries made outside the Park by an independent group called the Central Kentucky Karst Coalition or CKKC resulted in the survey of tens of miles in Roppel Cave east of the Park. On September 10, 1983, a connection was made between the Proctor/Morrison's section of the Mammoth Cave system and Roppel Cave (discovered in 1976 by Jerry Roppel, Jim Currens and James Borden.) The connection was made by two mixed parties of CRF and CKKC explorers. Each party entered through a separate entrance and met in the middle before continuing in the same direction to exit at the opposite entrance. The resulting total surveyed length was near 300 miles (480 km). Incremental discoveries since then have pushed the total to more than 367 miles (591 km). is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

In early 2005 a connection into the Roppel Cave portion of the system was surveyed from a small cave under Eudora Ridge (originally discovered and entered in 2003 by CRF/CKKC personnel.)

It is accepted with certainty that many more miles of cave passages await discovery in the region. Scientists believe that there are thousands of species of animals yet undiscovered in the cave system.^{[citation needed]} For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ...

Biology & Ecosystem

Much research has been conducted on the ecosystems of Mammoth Cave.

The bats that inhabit the caverns are the following: Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), Gray bats (Myotis grisescens), Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), Big brown bat (Eptisecus fuscus), and the Eastern pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus subflavus) Binomial name Myotis sodalis Miller & Allen, 1928 Approximate range of the Indiana bat The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is a medium-sized, gray, black, or chesnut bat listed as an endangered species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. ... Binomial name Myotis grisescens (A. H. Howell, 1909) Approximate range of the gray bat The Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens) is a small bat that lives in caves throughout the southern United States. ... Binomial name Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796) The Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus, is larger in size than comparitive species of bats, from about 4 to 5 inches (10 - 13 cm) in length and weighing 1/2 to 5/8 ounce. ... Binomial name Pipistrellus subflavus F. Cuvier, 1832 The Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) is a species of bat that is widely distributed throughout the eastern parts of North America, ranging west until Kansas and Texas, from eastern Mexico up north until southern Ontario. ... Binomial name Pipistrellus subflavus Cuvier 1832 The Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) is a species of bats that is widely distributed throughout the eastern parts of North America, ranging west until Kansas and Texas, from eastern Mexico up north until southern Ontario. ...

All together, these and more rare bat species such as eastern small-footed bat had estimated populations of 9-12 million just in the Historic Section. While these species still exist in Mammoth Cave, their numbers are now no more than a few thousand at best. Ecological restoration of this portion of Mammoth Cave, and facilitating the return of bats, is an ongoing effort. Not all bat species here inhabit the Cave; the red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is a forest-dweller, found underground only rarely.

Other animals which inhabit the caves, include: Cave Cricket (Hadenoecus subterraneous), Blind Salamander, Cave Salamander, Eyeless Cave Fish, Cave Crayfish (Orconectes pellucidus), and the Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri) Genera Ceuthophilus Macrobaenetes many others Cave crickets also known as Camel crickets or Spider Crickets or even sprickets are orthopteroid insects of the family Rhaphidophoridae which are found in association with caves. ... Binomial name Proteus anguinus Laurenti, 1768 The Proteus or Olm (Proteus anguinus) is an endemic amphibian animal, found in karst areas of the Dinaric Alps. ... Binomial name Palaemonias ganteri Hay, 1901 The Kentucky cave shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri) is an eyeless, troglodyte shrimp found in caves in three counties of Kentucky. ...

And in addition, some surface animals may take refuge in the entrances of the caves but do not generally venture into the deep portions of the cavern system.

Some of the research on the cave ecosystem that was completed during the 1980's and 90's was done by Tom Poulson of the (University of Illinois, Chicago) along with Kathleen Lavoie, Steve Sevick, Gulam Manji, Dennis Viele, Jeffrey Collier, and Eugene Studier from the (University of Michigan, Flint). The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is the Chicago campus of the University of Illinois. ... The University of Michigan-Flint, located in Flint, Michigan, is one of three campuses in the University of Michigan system. ...

Common misconceptions

Misconceptions relating to Mammoth Cave's impressive length

The superlatives which are justly applied to Mammoth Cave often lead to exaggeration of the cave's extent and reach. One such misconception is that the cave extends far beyond its well-known geographical boundaries, even to other states in the United States. This misconception is easily debunked. Caves of Mammoth's type form as water from the surface seeks the level of the surface streams which drain them: in Mammoth Cave's case, the Green River to the north. It is a virtual certainty that no cave passages connecting to Mammoth will ever be found north of the Green River, or substantially east of the Sinkhole Plain which is the primary recharge area (the place where water enters) for the cave. More tantalizing is the prospect of ancient passages to the south which might bridge the current drainage divide between the Green River basin and the Barren River basin south of it, but in that case, the maximum expected southerly extent of Mammoth Cave would be the Barren River. The Green River is a tributary of the Ohio River that rises in Lincoln County in south-central Kentucky. ... Barren River Lake is a 10,100 acre, artificial lake located southeast of Bowling Green, Kentucky and southwest of Glasgow, Kentucky along US 31E owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ...

It is true, however, that the layers of sedimentary rock in which Mammoth Cave has formed do extend many miles in almost any direction from Mammoth Cave. These rocks were all laid down over the same period. The similarity of the rocks of the broader region to those in the immediate vicinity of Mammoth Cave means that conditions are right for cave formation; however, the absolute boundaries of the Mammoth Cave system are known, so it is expected that these other caves will not be found to connect to Mammoth Cave. Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ...

Misconceptions related to the Mammoth Cave System's name

No fossils of the Wooly Mammoth have ever been found in Mammoth Cave, and the name of the cave has nothing to do with this extinct mammal. Rather, the appellation "Mammoth" refers to the staggering primacy of its horizontal extent to that of other caves. An historical irony results in that although the name was applied before the cave system's true extent was fully known, modern discoveries have well established the appropriateness of the older name. Indeed, an enduring characteristic of the story of the cave's exploration is how often old predictions of the cave's final length have been far outstripped by actual discoveries. In spite of the above description of the absolute geographical confines of the cave system's reach, it is accepted by most informed researchers that many more miles of the Mammoth Cave system await discovery. The extra mileage to be discovered will likely occur both in the form of new passages that await discovery (as more sophisticated techniques of cave exploration develop) and of neighboring cave systems whose extensive mileage could, at any moment, be found to be part of Mammoth Cave through the discovery of passages linking these heretofore-considered independent caves. This article is about the extinct mammal. ...

Other notes

• The cave is linked with computer games (see interactive fiction); one of the earliest such games, Adventure, is based on parts of the cave system (the Colossal section and the Bedquilt Entrance). The author of the game, Will Crowther, was married to noted caver Pat Crowther.

• Mammoth Cave is the setting of H. P. Lovecraft's 1905 short story, "The Beast in the Cave".

• Mammoth Cave is also the setting of Alexander C. Irvine's 2002 novel, "A Scattering of Jades", a novel that can be read as fantasy or alternate history, winning the Locus Award and International Horror Guild Award among others.

• Two other massive cave systems lie short distances from Mammoth Cave: the Fisher Ridge Cave System and the Martin Ridge Cave System. The Fisher Ridge Cave System was discovered in January 1981 by a group of Michigan cavers [1]. So far, the cave has been mapped to 110 miles / 177 kilometers (Gulden, B. 2007). In 1996, Martin Ridge Cave was discovered by John Alan Glennon and Jonathan David Jasper. Connections discovered by Glennon and Jasper to nearby Whigpistle and Jackpot Caves resulted in the 32 mile / 51 kilometer-long Martin Ridge Cave System [2].

• If connections are found between the three giant caves—Fisher Ridge Cave System, Martin Ridge Cave System and Mammoth Cave—the total mapped system would exceed 500 miles / 800 kilometers (Gulden, B. 2005).

• Mammoth Cave is a purported entrance to the inner Earth spoken of by some indigenous cultures' spiritual elders. Agartha. See hollow earth theory for more on this theory.

A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Zork I is one of the first interactive fiction games, as well as being one of the first commercially sold. ... This article is about an early text based computer game. ... William (Willie or Will) Crowther is a computer programmer and caver. ... This article is about the cave explorer, for the Wiccan see Patricia Crowther (Wiccan) Patricia (Pat) Crowther was an active and dedicated caver and cave-surveyor in the 1960s and early 1970s. ... This article is about the author. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The Beast in the Cave is a short story by American horror fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft written in 1905, when Lovecraft was fourteen. ... Alexander C. Irvine is an American fantasist and science fiction writer. ... For other uses, see Novel (disambiguation). ... The Locus Awards are presented to winners of Locus Magazines annual readers poll, which was established in the early 70s specifically to provide recommendations and suggestions to Hugo Awards voters. ... The International Horror Guild Award is a recognition presented by the International Horror Guild (IHG) to recognize the achievements of those who create in the field of Horror and Dark Fantasy. ... John Alan Glennon (born September 24, 1970) is an American geographer and explorer. ... John Alan Glennon (born September 24, 1970) is an American geographer and explorer. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... A Hollow Earth theory posits that the planet Earth has a hollow interior and, possibly, a habitable inner surface. ...

References

Abbreviated references correspond to entries in the Bibliography below.

1. ^ Mammoth Cave National Park - Frequently Asked Questions
2. ^ Earthwatch.org Sponsored Field Survey
3. ^ National Park Service: Historic Listings of NPS Officials
4. ^ Bridwell 1952 (inside back cover)
5. ^ Mihalic Named Superintendent of Yosemite National Park
6. ^ Glasgow (KY) Times: Park super enjoying scenery change
7. ^ Brucker and Watson 1976, p. 272-273
8. ^ Thompson, Bob: Early Writers Flocked To Mammoth Cave By Bob Thompson - 2000
9. ^ Watson 1981 pp. 15-16
10. ^ Brucker and Murray 1983
11. ^ Bridwell 1952, p. 60.
12. ^ Civilian Conservation Corps at Mammoth Cave National Park
13. ^ National Park Service: Historic Listings of NPS Officials
14. ^ Hoskins 1941
15. ^ Bridwell 1952, p. 60
16. ^ Lawrence and Brucker 1955
17. ^ Brucker and Watson 1976 p. 31
18. ^ Bridwell 1952, p. 59.
19. ^ Brucker and Watson 1976, p. 208.

Bibliography

The Mammoth Cave System is one of the most heavily studied cave regions in the world, and its literature is similarly robust.

General references

• Bridwell, Margaret M. (Bridwell 1952) The Story of Mammoth Cave National Park Kentucky: A Brief History 11th Edition 1971. (First edition copyright 1952.) No ISBN.
• Gulden, B. (Gulden 2005) NSS Geo2 USA Longest Caves. National Speleological Society. [3]
• Hoskins, R. Taylor Faithful Visitor First Park Superintendent R. Taylor Hoskins describes the yearly visits of "Pete" a tame summer tanager (Piranga rubra rubra.) In "The Regional Review, Vol VII, 1 and 2 (July-August 1941.)
• Hovey, Horace Carter (Hovey 1880) One Hundred Miles in Mammoth Cave in 1880: an early exploration of America's most famous cavern. with introductory note by William R. Jones. Golden, Colorado: Outbooks. (Copyright 1982) ISBN 0-89646-054-1
• Watson, Richard A., ed. (Watson 1981) The Cave Research Foundation: Origins and the First Twelve Years 1957 - 1968 Mammoth Cave, Kentucky: Cave Research Foundation.

TAME (Línea Aérea del Ecuador) is an airline based in Quito, Ecuador. ... Binomial name Piranga rubra (Linnaeus, 1758) The Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, is a medium-sized songbird of the Tanager family, Thraupidae. ...

Brucker Series

Roger W. Brucker [4]has co-authored four books on the history and exploration of the Mammoth Cave System. They are presented here not in the order of publication, but in the order in which the events of the books' major narratives took place:

• Brucker, Roger W. and Murray, Robert K. (Brucker and Murray 1983) Trapped: The Story of Floyd Collins. University of Kentucky Press. Told by a scholar of early 20th century journalism and a veteran of the modern period of Mammoth Cave exploration, this book details the events of the entrapment and attempted rescue of Floyd Collins, who was trapped in a cave near Mammoth Cave in January 1925.
• Lawrence, Jr, Joe and Brucker, Roger W. (Lawrence and Brucker 1955) The Caves Beyond: The story of the Floyd Collins' Crystal Cave Expedition New York: Funk and Wagnell's. Reprinted, with new introduction, by Zephyrus Press ISBN 0-914264-18-4 (pbk.) Details the story of the 1954 week-long C3 expedition from the separate points of view of the leader and an ordinary participant in the expedition, who went on to become one of the leaders of the then-nascent modern period of exploration.
• Brucker, Roger W. and Watson, Richard A. "Red" (Brucker and Watson 1976) The Longest Cave. New York : Knopf (reprinted 1987, with afterword: Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press) ISBN 0-8093-1322-7 (pbk.) A comprehensive story of the exploration of Mammoth Cave told by two of the founders of the Cave Research Foundation. An invaluable appendix, "Historical Beginnings", outlines the story of the cave from prehistory to the mid 1950s, where the main narrative begins. The formation of the Cave Research Foundation is described from an insider perspective. A highly personal telling, this work is sometimes jokingly or with irony referred to by cavers as Roger and Red Go Caving, though its revered status in the literature and the reputations of the authors are hardly in doubt. The 1989 reprint includes an Afterword by the authors referring to the 1983 Roppel-Mammoth connection and other subsequent events.
• Borden, James D. and Brucker, Roger W. (Borden and Brucker 2000) Beyond Mammoth Cave: A Tale of Obsession in the World's Longest Cave. Carbondale and Edwardsville, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 0-8093-2346-X. Taking up where The Longest Cave leaves off, carries the story of Mammoth Cave Exploration from September 10, 1972 to September 10, 1983, when a connection was surveyed between Roppel Cave and the southern reaches of Mammoth Cave. Details the origins of the Central Kentucky Karst Coalition (CKKC).

Floyd Collins. ... Approaching a cave entrance, NPS Photo The Cave Research Foundation (CRF) is an American private, non-profit group dedicated to the exploration, research, and conservation of caves. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

Archaeology

• Meloy, Harold (Meloy 1968) Mummies of Mammoth Cave: An account of the Indian mummies discovered in Short Cave, Salts Cave, and Mammoth Cave, Kentucky Shelbyville, Indiana: Micron Publishing Co., 1990 (Original copyright 1968, 1977).
• Watson, Patty Jo (ed.) (Watson 1974) Archaeology of the Mammoth Cave Area. Reprinted 1997 by St. Louis: Cave Books ISBN 0-939748-41-X. 31 chapters by the foremost worker in the field of Mammoth Cave archaeology and several of her colleagues. The reprinted edition includes a brief new introduction and a brief updated bibliography.

Patty Jo Watson is an American archaeologist. ...

Geology

• Livesay, Ann, and McGrain, Preston (revised) (Livesay and McGrain 1962). Geology of the Mammoth Cave National Park Area. Kentucky Geological Survey, Series X, 1962. Special Publication 7, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky: University of Kentucky.
• Palmer, Arthur N. (Palmer 1981) A Geological Guide to Mammoth Cave National Park. Teaneck, New Jersey: Zephyrus Press. ISBN 0-914264-28-1. 196 pp. From the "blurb" on the back cover: "How did Mammoth Cave form? How old is it? Why does it look the way it does? What do the rocks tell us? These and many other questions are answered in this book about America's most popular cave." Written for the lay reader, but with much technical information of interest to those with greater scientific literacy, by a retired professor of geology at SUNY Oneonta.
• White, William B. and Elizabeth L., eds. (White and White 1989) Karst Hydrology: Concepts from the Mammoth Cave Area. New York: Van Nostrand Rheinhold. ISBN 0-442-22675-6.

The State University of New York at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States. ...

See also

• List of Biosphere Reserves in the United States
• List of Conservation topics
• Karst topography
• Colossal Cavern
• Cub Run Cave

This is a list of Biosphere Reserves in the United States of America. ... The list of conservation topics is a link page for the conservation of both the natural environment and the built environment. ... Karst topography occurs when a landscape is marked by underground drainage patterns. ... Colossal Cavern is a cave in Kentucky, USA, the main entrance of which is at the foot of a steep hill beyond Eaton Valley, and 14 m from Mammoth Cave. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Mammoth Cave National Park

• Mammoth Cave National Park website
• Mammoth Cave Restoration Camp Official Site

v • d • e National parks of the United States
Acadia • American Samoa • Arches • Badlands • Big Bend • Biscayne • Black Canyon of the Gunnison • Bryce Canyon • Canyonlands • Capitol Reef • Carlsbad Caverns • Channel Islands • Congaree • Crater Lake • Cuyahoga Valley • Death Valley • Denali • Dry Tortugas • Everglades • Gates of the Arctic • Glacier • Glacier Bay • Grand Canyon • Grand Teton • Great Basin • Great Sand Dunes • Great Smoky Mountains • Guadalupe Mountains • Haleakala • Hawaii Volcanoes • Hot Springs • Isle Royale • Joshua Tree • Katmai • Kenai Fjords • Kings Canyon • Kobuk Valley • Lake Clark • Lassen Volcanic • Mammoth Cave • Mesa Verde • Mount Rainier • North Cascades • Olympic • Petrified Forest • Redwood • Rocky Mountain • Saguaro • Sequoia • Shenandoah • Theodore Roosevelt • Virgin Islands • Voyageurs • Wind Cave • Wrangell-St. Elias • Yellowstone • Yosemite • Zion
List by: date established, state, elevation

v • d • e World Heritage Sites in the United States of America

Cahokia · Carlsbad Caverns · Chaco Culture · Everglades · Grand Canyon · Great Smoky Mountains · Hawaii Volcanoes · Independence Hall · Kluane-Wrangell-St. Elias-Glacier Bay-Tatshenshini-Alsek (with Canada) · La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site · Mammoth Cave · Mesa Verde · Monticello and the University of Virginia · Olympic National Park · Pueblo de Taos · Redwood · Statue of Liberty · Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (with Canada) · Yellowstone · Yosemite Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... The National Park System of the United States is the collection of physical properties owned or administered by the National Park Service. ... The National Park System of the United States is the collection of physical properties owned or administered by the National Park Service. ... Established on June 11, 1940, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in southeastern Kentucky. ... The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area preserves the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in northern Tennessee and southern Kentucky. ... Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site preserves two farm sites where Abraham Lincoln lived as a child. ... The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission is an agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky dedicated to the protection of Kentuckys natural heritage. ... Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve is a 458-acre nature reserve located near Barlow, Kentucky in Ballard County in an area known locally as the Barlow bottoms, a wetland created by periodic flooding along the mouth of the Ohio River. ... Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve is a 2,639-acre nature preserve in Letcher County, Kentucky. ... Brigadoon State Nature Preserve is located in Barren County, Kentucky adjacent to the Barren River Lake. ... Bat Cave and Cascade Caverns State Nature Preserves are two nature preserves totaling 146 acres located within the boundaries of Carter Caves State Resort Park in Carter County, Kentucky. ... Footbridge over seasonal wetlands in the nature preserve Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve is a 41-acre nature preserve in Louisville, Kentuckys Poplar Level neighborhood, in roughly the central portion of the city. ... Blackacre State Nature Preserve is a 271-acre nature preserve in Louisville, Kentucky. ... Blue Licks Battlefield State Park is a park located near Mount Olivet, Kentucky in Robertson County. ... Jesse Hilton Stuart (August 8, 1906 - February 17, 1984) was an American writer who achieved prominence in the short story, poetry, and novels. ... Natural bridge from a distance. ... Maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, Kentuckys system of 52 state parks has been referred to as the nations finest and experiences more repeat business annually than those of any other U.S. State. ... Barren River Lake State Resort Park is a 2,187-acre park located in Barren County, Kentucky and extending into parts of Allen County and Monroe County. ... Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park is a park located in the northwest corner of Perry County, Kentucky. ... The Carter Caves State Park is located in Carter County, Kentucky, United States, along Tygarts Creek. ... Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is a park located just southwest of Corbin, Kentucky and is contained entirely within the Daniel Boone National Forest. ... General Butler State Resort Park is a park located near Carrollton, Kentucky in Carroll County. ... Grayson Lake State Park is a Kentucky state park in Carter County, Kentucky, and near the city of Grayson, Kentucky. ... Green River Lake State Park is a park located near Campbellsville, Kentucky in Taylor County. ... Greenbo Lake State Resort Park in Kentucky is a resort park in the northeastern part of the commonwealth, close to the town of Greenup, Kentucky in Greenup County on Kentucky State Route 1. ... Jenny Wiley State Resort Park is a mountain resort park located on 1100 acre Dewey Lake and is named for the legendary pioneer woman, Jenny Wiley. ... Kenlake State Resort Park is a park located on the western shore of Kentucky Lake near Paducah, Kentucky in Calloway County. ... Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park is a park located on the northern shore of Kentucky Lake in Marshall County, Kentucky. ... Lake Barkley State Resort Park is a park located on the eastern shore of Lake Barkley just west of Cadiz, Kentucky in Trigg County. ... Lake Cumberland State Resort Park is a park located on the northern short of Lake Cumberland near Jamestown, Kentucky in Russell County. ... Looking up at the natural bridge Natural Bridge State Park is a Kentucky state park located in Powell County, Kentucky along the Middle Fork of the Red River, adjacent to the Red River Gorge Geologic Area and surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest. ... Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park is a park located near Dawson Springs, Kentucky in Hopkins County. ... Pine Mountain State Resort Park is a park located in Bell County, Kentucky. ... Rough River Dam State Resort Park is a park located in parts of Breckinridge, Hardin, and Grayson counties in Kentucky. ... Maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, Kentuckys system of 52 state parks has been referred to as the nations finest and experiences more repeat business annually than those of any other U.S. State. ... This monument, placed in 1967 by the Daughters of the American Revolution, marks the site of Boone Station. ... Constitution Square State Historic Site is a three-acre park in Danville, Kentucky in Boyle County. ... Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic Site is a park in Barbourville, Kentucky in Knox County. ... Isaac Shelby Cemetery State Historic Site is a park in Lincoln County, Kentucky. ... The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is a monument maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, in Christian County, Kentucky, east of Hopkinsville, dedicated to the birthplace of the first and only President of the Confederate States of America. ... Old Mulkey Meetinghouse State Historic Site is a twenty-acre park in Monroe County, Kentucky. ... Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site is a seventeen-acre park in Perryville, Kentucky in Boyle County. ... Waveland State Historic Site in Lexington, Kentucky is the site of a Greek Revival home and plantation now maintained and operated as part of the Kentucky state park system. ... White Hall State Historic Site is a fourteen-acre park in Madison County, Kentucky. ... William Whitely House State Historic Site is a park in Lincoln County, Kentucky. ... Maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, Kentuckys system of 52 state parks has been referred to as the nations finest and experiences more repeat business annually than those of any other U.S. State. ... Ben Hawes State Park is a park located just outside of Owensboro, Kentucky in Daviess County. ... Blue Licks Battlefield State Park is a park located near Mount Olivet, Kentucky in Robertson County. ... Big Bone Lick State Park is located in Boone County, Kentucky. ... Columbus-Belmont State Park near Columbus, Kentucky, in Hickman County is the site of a Confederate fortification built during the American Civil War. ... Dale Hollow Dam and Lake The Dale Hollow Reservoir is an artificial lake situated on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. ... E. P. Tom Sawyer State Park is a 369-acre Kentucky state park located in the Freys Hill area of Louisville, Kentucky on former land of Kentuckys Central State Hospital. ... Fort Boonesboro, Kentuckys second oldest settlement, was founded by Daniel Boone and his men following their crossing of the Kentucky River on April 1, 1775. ... General Burnside State Park is a park located in just south of Somerset, Kentucky in Pulaski County. ... John James Audubon State Park is located on U. S. Highway 41 in Henderson, Kentucky, just south of the Ohio River. ... Kincaid Lake State Park is a park located near Falmouth, Kentucky in Pendleton County. ... // Kingdom Come State Park is in Kentuckys state park system. ... Lake Malone State Park is a park located near Dunmor, Kentucky, in Muhlenberg County and extending into parts of Logan County and Todd County. ... Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park is a park located just south of London, Kentucky in Laurel County. ... Lincoln Homestead State Park is a park located just north of Springfield, Kentucky in Washington County. ... My Old Kentucky Home State Park is a state park in Kentucky. ... Old Fort Harrod State Park is a park located in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. ... Paintsville Lake State Park is a park located just west of Paintsville, Kentucky in Johnson County. ... Taylorsville Lake State Park is a park encompassing 1,625 acres in Spencer County, Kentucky. ... Yatesville Lake State Park in Kentucky is a recreational facility in the eastern part of the commonwealth, close to the town of Louisa, Kentucky in Lawrence County. ... This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... Kentenia State Forest is a United States state forest in Harlan County, Kentucky. ... Pennyrile State Forest is a United States state forest in Christian County, Kentucky. ... The current version of the article or section reads like an advertisement. ... The Daniel Boone National Forest is the only national forest completely within the boundary of Kentucky. ... The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and an educational theme park located in a rural area of Lexington, Kentucky in the United States. ... The parks of the United States National Park system are one type of protected area in the United States and are operated by the U.S. National Park Service. ... Acadia National Park preserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast of Maine. ... The National Park of American Samoa is a national park on the American territory of American Samoa, distributed across three separate islands: Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta‘ū. Authorized by Congress in 1988, the National Park Service entered into 50-year leases for all park land from Samoan village councils on September... Arches National Park preserves over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. ... Badlands National Park, in southwest South Dakota, preserves 242,756 acres (982 km²) of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. ... It has been suggested that Panther Pass be merged into this article or section. ... Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead, FL. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. ... Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States National Park located in western Colorado. ... Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. ... Canyonlands National Park, located near Moab, Utah and the Arches National Park, was designated as a National Park on September 12, 1964. ... Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. ... Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains of the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Eddy County). ... The Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. ... Located in South Carolina, the 34 mi² (89 km²) Congaree National Park is the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States but one of the smallest national parks. ... Image:CraterLake Oregon USA.jpg Crater Lake with Wizard Island Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is Crater Lake. ... Brandywine Falls Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in northeast Ohio. ... Death Valley National Park is a mostly arid United States National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Inyo County and northern San Bernardino County in California with a small extension into southwestern Nye County and extreme southern Esmeralda County in Nevada. ... Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mt. ... Dry Tortugas National Park preserves Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas section of the Florida Keys. ... Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 20 % of the original wetland area. ... Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is one of several large U.S. National Parks in Alaska. ... For the non-adjoining national park by the same name in British Columbia, see Glacier National Park (Canada). ... The area around Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of the United States oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ... Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in western Wyoming, south of Yellowstone National Park. ... Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park, located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. ... Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve became a United States National Park by an act of Congress on September 13, 2004. ... Cades Cove panorama The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. ... Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet (2,667 m) in elevation. ... Haleakalā National Park is a United States national park located on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. ... HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanism, migration, and evolution—processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ... Established from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. ... Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. ... Double Cross on The Old Woman Rock Joshua Tree National Park is located in south-eastern California. ... Katmai National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southern Alaska, notable for the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and for its brown bears. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska near the town of Seward. ... This article is about Kings Canyon National Park, USA. For Kings Canyon, Australia, see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory). ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kobuk Valley National Park is a United States National Park in northwestern Alaska north of the Arctic Circle. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southwestern Alaska. ... Map of Lassen area showing hydrothermal features (red dots) and volcanic feature or remnant (yellow cones). ... Mesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. ... Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County, Washington. ... Mount Despair, North Cascades National Park North Unit, 1967 map of the North Cascades National Park complex Lower Curtis Glacier in 2003 compared with 1985 Looking toward Magic Mountain from Sahale Arm north of Cascade Pass. ... Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the far northwestern part of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula. ... Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona, along Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Navajo. ... The Coastal redwood is the tallest tree species on Earth. ... Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north-central region of the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Entrance to the Visitors Center, Saguaro National Park, West. ... Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron) trees in the Giant Forest Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California in the United States of America. ... Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Blue Ridge region of Virginia. ... Established in 1978, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. ... Virgin Islands National Park is a United States National Park covering approximately 60% of the island of Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands. ... Established in 1975, Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls. ... Wind Cave National Park is a United States national park 10 miles (18 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Wrangell-St. ... Yellowstone redirects here. ... Yosemite redirects here. ... Zion Canyon as seen from the top of Angels Landing at sunset Zion National Park is a United States National Park located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Acadia National Park preserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast of Maine. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Arches National Park preserves over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Badlands National Park, in southwest South Dakota, preserves 242,756 acres (982 km²) of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... It has been suggested that Panther Pass be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead, FL. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States National Park located in western Colorado. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Canyonlands National Park, located near Moab, Utah and the Arches National Park, was designated as a National Park on September 12, 1964. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains of the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Eddy County). ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... The Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Located in South Carolina, the 34 mi² (89 km²) Congaree National Park is the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States but one of the smallest national parks. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Image:CraterLake Oregon USA.jpg Crater Lake with Wizard Island Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is Crater Lake. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Brandywine Falls Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in northeast Ohio. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Death Valley National Park is a mostly arid United States National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Inyo County and northern San Bernardino County in California with a small extension into southwestern Nye County and extreme southern Esmeralda County in Nevada. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mt. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Dry Tortugas National Park preserves Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas section of the Florida Keys. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 20 % of the original wetland area. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is one of several large U.S. National Parks in Alaska. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... For the non-adjoining national park by the same name in British Columbia, see Glacier National Park (Canada). ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... The area around Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of the United States oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in western Wyoming, south of Yellowstone National Park. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park, located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve became a United States National Park by an act of Congress on September 13, 2004. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Cades Cove panorama The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet (2,667 m) in elevation. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Haleakalā National Park is a United States national park located on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of 30 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution—processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Double Cross on The Old Woman Rock Joshua Tree National Park is located in south-eastern California. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Katmai National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southern Alaska, notable for the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and for its brown bears. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska near the town of Seward. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... This article is about Kings Canyon National Park, USA. For Kings Canyon, Australia, see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory). ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kobuk Valley National Park is a United States National Park in northwestern Alaska north of the Arctic Circle. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southwestern Alaska. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Map of Lassen area showing hydrothermal features (red dots) and volcanic feature or remnant (yellow cones). ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Mesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County, Washington. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Mount Despair, North Cascades National Park North Unit, 1967 map of the North Cascades National Park complex Lower Curtis Glacier in 2003 compared with 1985 Looking toward Magic Mountain from Sahale Arm north of Cascade Pass. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the far northwestern part of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona, along Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Navajo. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1968 from unprotected land as well as small portions of existing state parks, Redwood National Park is a United States National Park on the northern coast of California between Eureka and Crescent City. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north-central region of the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Entrance to the Visitors Center, Saguaro National Park, West. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron) trees in the Giant Forest Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California in the United States of America. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Blue Ridge region of Virginia. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1978, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1975, Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Wind Cave National Park is a United States national park 10 miles (18 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Wrangell-St. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Yellowstone redirects here. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Yosemite redirects here. ... Image File history File links Red_Dot. ... Zion Canyon as seen from the top of Angels Landing at sunset Zion National Park is a United States National Park located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... This is a list of U.S. national parks by date of establishment. ... This is a list of United States National Parks by state. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Cahokia is the site of an ancient Native American city near Collinsville, Illinois, across the Mississippi River from St. ... Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains of the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Eddy County). ... Kiva at Pueblo Del Arroyo Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park and World Heritage Site which contains the densest and most exceptional concentration of large pueblos in the American Southwest. ... Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 20 % of the original wetland area. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of the United States oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ... Cades Cove panorama The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. ... HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanism, migration, and evolution—processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ... Independence Hall is a U.S. national landmark located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets. ... Kluane-Wrangell-St. ... La Fortaleza (or The Fortress in English) is the current residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. ... San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico includes colonial-era forts, bastions, powder houses, and three fourths of the old city wall. ... Mesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. ... This is about the Jefferson residence. ... The University of Virginia (also called U.Va. ... Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the far northwestern part of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula. ... Taos Pueblo, circa 1920 Taos Pueblo (or Pueblo de Taos), continuously inhabited for over 1000 years, is the ancient town of the Northern Tiwa speaking tribe of Pueblo people, Native Americans. ... The Coastal redwood is the tallest tree species on Earth. ... For other monuments to freedom, see Monument of Liberty. ... The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the name of the union of the Glacier National Park in the United States and the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. ... Yellowstone redirects here. ... Yosemite redirects here. ...