This chapter delves into the intertwined lives of enslaved individuals, particularly Stephen Bishop, and their crucial roles in exploring and mapping Mammoth Cave. It examines the shift in tourism dynamics due to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and the subsequent legal and competitive challenges faced by cave owners in the 1920s. Through Bishop's legacy and the rise of tourism, the chapter captures the significant historical narratives surrounding Mammoth Cave during and after the U.S. Civil War.
In the 19th century, Kentucky's Mammoth Cave launched an entire, very competitive cave tourism industry in the area, In 1925, Floyd Collins was trapped in the cave system, which was the beginning of the end of the cave wars.
Research:
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- Bullitt, Alexander Clark. “Rambles in the Mammoth Cave, During the Year 1944, By a Visitor.” Louisville, KY. Morton & Griswold. 1945.
- Butler, Telia. “Throwback Thursday – The Kentucky Cave Wars.” WNKY News 40. 3/25/2201. https://www.wnky.com/throwback-thursday-the-kentucky-cave-wars/
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- Trowbridge, John. “The Kentucky National Guard and the William Floyd Collins Tragedy at Sand Cave.” 2/10/2021. Kentucky National Guard. https://ky.ng.mil/News/Article/2648067/the-kentucky-national-guard-and-the-william-floyd-collins-tragedy-at-sand-cave/
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