Cave Wars: The Brutal Beginnings of Mammoth Cave National Park

Рет қаралды 35,395

2 жыл бұрын

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The Kentucky Cave Wars were a pivotal era in the formation of Mammoth Cave National Park. Floyd Collins' death may have come during the peak of this toxic, and frequently ridiculous, competition for prime cave real estate, but it was far from an isolated incident.
The story of the Kentucky Cave Wars has its roots over a century earlier, when Mammoth Cave first opened its "doors" for tourism. That fateful decision set it on a path it would never look back on.
In this video, I tell you the story of the Kentucky Cave Wars and how decades of conflict, infighting, toxicity, and absurdity proved to be pivotal in the formation of Mammoth Cave National Park.
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SOURCES
The Kentucky Cave Wars: The Century That Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park by David Kem
www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-kentucky-cave-wars.htm
people.wku.edu/katie.algeo/SE_Geog_article.pdf
perma.cc/F6GF-6C3Q
IMAGES
J Wellington Young, National Park Concessions, Inc
W Ray Scott, National Park Concessions, Inc
National Park Service
Library of Congress
Mammoth Cave National Park
Open Parks Network
National Cave Museum
National Archives
Willis T Lee, USGS
Storyblocks

Пікірлер: 128

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 65% OFF your subscription ▶ HERE: go.babbel.com/t?bsc=1200m65-youtube-nationalparkdiaries-july-2022&btp=default&KZfaq&Influencer..nationalparkdiaries..USA..KZfaq

@arthurschwalm6332 2 жыл бұрын

pura vida

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Love my Ticos 🤘

@kylehouchin868 Жыл бұрын

A Houchin here, the last name is pronounced "how-chin". It was John Houchin at age 15 who was going bear hunting and followed a bear into one of the cave entrances in the area. A few days later, he returned to the area and found the entrance that's referred to in the video. I'm related to him by roughly 8 generations back. Our family split around 6 generations ago where some of the family stayed in Kentucky. John Houchin was a grandson to a brother that my branch split from. My grandparent have a copy of our family book and its been 5 ish years since I last looked over the story of John bear hunting.

@kylehouchin868 Жыл бұрын

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the correction! That's super cool you have a family connection (that's traceable) back to the discovery of one of the world's biggest caves. Thanks for sharing!

@briank1471 Жыл бұрын

On a visit in 2015, we were fortunate to have as our guide, Ranger Jerry Brandsford, a fifth generation cave guide. It was a memorable tour!

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

That's incredible! Wow!

@thomasrinschler6783 2 жыл бұрын

Growing up in Kentucky, the Floyd Collins story always just filled me with anxious dread. I'm not claustrophobic, but the thought of being stuck like that is one of my worst nightmares.

@SanilJadhav711 2 жыл бұрын

@@JohnDoe-ny2cj Lol wtf

@SanilJadhav711 2 жыл бұрын

The incident of John Edward Johns in Nutty Putty cave also horrifies me, it was the first case of cave trapping I heard about

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it's just terrifying to read the accounts of the incident. I can't even imagine... 18 days

@jasonstinson1767 2 жыл бұрын

Kentucky resident here. 65mi/104km north of cave country. Enjoying the localish coverage.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to highlight your neck of the woods! Beautiful area!

@psychlops924 Жыл бұрын

Just watched Internet Historian’s new video about Floyd Collins, so I had to come back here and see if he got it right.

@twistedaxles9126 Жыл бұрын

I have a feeling that this video inspired IH to make the Man in Cave video.

@psychlops924 Жыл бұрын

@@twistedaxles9126 I would be really surprised if it was a coincidence

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

Haha, what's the verdict???

@psychlops924 Жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries he solely tells the story of Floyd getting stuck, and the ensuing rescue attempts. IH is a master story teller, so the video itself is brilliant. I see it as ancillary to your videos on both Mammoth and the Kentucky Cave Wars. I’d honestly recommend people watch all three videos.

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

@@psychlops924 Good to know, thanks!

@firechasersparkles2023 11 ай бұрын

My dad visited Mammoth Cave when he was a young boy. He has always wanted to go back and visit someday and I plan on going with him. Caves have always fascinated me as they are the earths natural sculptures. It's like the earth is allowing you to venture into its veins and see what is hidden underneath your very feet. While the world we live in can be capable of destruction via natural disasters, it is also capable of gifting us with beauty. Such as caves.

@NationalParkDiaries 11 ай бұрын

Great description, well said! Enjoy your trip!

@nationalparksprincess3216 Жыл бұрын

I found the history of the cave wars fascinating when we visited that area earlier this year! We spent several days in the area and did several cave tours inside and outside of the National Park.

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

Yeah, it's a super interesting part of Mammoth Cave's history! I had a blast learning about it also.

@WyomingTraveler 2 жыл бұрын

Wonderful video. Exposed how our natural resources can be exploited for personal gain and profit. Your story of the cave wars makes me appreciate so much more the foresight of the men who established Yellowstone as a national park. The story of the cave wars also reminds me of the bone wars of the 1870s.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Joe! Yeah, I think we can learn a lot of lessons from the Cave Wars in terms of historical exploitation vs resource preservation. There's just so many stories and lessons. Never heard of the bone wars though - what's that?

@lubabe9969 Жыл бұрын

I've always wanted to go to mammoth caves, I live in KY and I've seen Nigeria falls up close, still ain't had the opportunity to see the caves. Floyd Collins story is just unreal, I can't imagine how he dealt with being trapped like he was.

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

I was fortunate enough to visit last year and it's well worth it! The cave really is as impressive as advertised!

@lubabe9969 Жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries yep, I wanna go, I think I'll try and save up the money to do a weekend.

@sharontabor7718 9 ай бұрын

Mammoth Cave. One cave.

@kanyanviers8776 2 жыл бұрын

You should do a video on probably the most remote national park in the lower 48 Great Basin National Park which has Lehman Cave, the 2nd highest peak in Nevada Wheeler Peak, and a glacier out in the middle of the desert.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Great Basin is ripe for potential videos. Would love to visit and do a video or two out there one day. I'd love to talk about Bristlecone Pines also.

@poboy8490 2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries yes! I want to know about bristlecone pines! And I want to know more about Gran Abuelo in Alerce Costero National Park! Some drone footage of it from different heights and angles would be fantastic!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

@@poboy8490 Never heard of the Gran Abuelo until you just mentioned it! Sounds super interesting, thanks!

@25aspooner 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for all of the awesome videos!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching them!

@jimkoval4725 2 жыл бұрын

I visited Mammoth Caves back in May of this year. Did 2 different tours, both were fantastic.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Same here, but I only did 1 tour. I really wish I had done more - I immediately wanted to back in as soon as I came out!

@misterb6839 2 жыл бұрын

Shout out, just down the road from your gun town mountain sign! 4:00

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Nice! I'm guessing it looks a little different today lol.

@actionfaction2558 2 жыл бұрын

I studied in Costa Rica too. What a fabulous experience. I was able to live there for three months, learned to surf; and was able to travel throughout the entire country site seeing volcanoes, caves, jungle cruises, rafting, and beach paradises all by bus on the weekends. It was a fabulous experience.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Same here. One of my favorite places on Earth. I love the lifestyle and the people and the commitment to nature. Wonderful wonderful place!

@jizmoglass4202 2 жыл бұрын

Loving your channel. Great stuff Brother. Thank you for the content.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for being here, I appreciate the support!

@Purfadingu 2 жыл бұрын

Hey just wanted to pop in and say I really appreciate your content always. You obviously have a deep care and passion for history and these American lands, and I always learn a lor watching your vids. Bravo- hope you find major success.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Oscar, I really appreciate the support! Onward and upward from here!

@sunnygirlishappy 2 жыл бұрын

Another great video! Thanks Cameron. Love you

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@SequoiaElisabeth 11 ай бұрын

Good job as usual. Thanks for sharing.

@NationalParkDiaries 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@robertb6889 11 ай бұрын

I lived a few hours away for a few years in grad school and always wanted to make it there and go on a tour off the path, but never got too. Still a ton of great memories doing that at Carlsbad as a teenager.

@NationalParkDiaries 11 ай бұрын

It's a fantastic experience - I'd highly recommend if you're ever able to make the trip!

@robertb6889 11 ай бұрын

Still 100% on my bucket list. I’m now across the country but definitely still want to go. Maybe when my kids are a bit older I take them, and take them to Carlsbad too. I highly recommend anyone who can get the off-the-paved path cave experience at these places.

@SpencerJ289 10 ай бұрын

I am loving your channel so glad I found it.

@NationalParkDiaries 10 ай бұрын

I'm so glad, welcome to the community!

@inspired2rv661 2 ай бұрын

Great video! Thank you!!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@gtbkts 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the awesome content

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching it!

@joannabell9294 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Joanna!

@larryrobertson2150 9 ай бұрын

I love the campground.

@NationalParkDiaries 9 ай бұрын

I had a great time there too. Loved the access to the rail trail

@recondrone6826 2 жыл бұрын

Very enlightening..I knew there was some competition to make money but didn't know how ruthless it really was or some of the deeper history of the people and profits to be made..my first trip there was around 1971 while growing up in Louisville. As a young adult we moved just north of the cave area near Wax, Kentucky now most of my family has roots around the Nolin Lake area and love it here! Made a few trips the the Mammoth cave park over the years and it's just as exciting now as it was when I was a child. Thanks for your dedication and excellent work to inform others of some lesser known historical facts of the cave area!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! There's an excellent book on the subject called "The Kentucky Cave Wars: The Century that Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park" by David Kem, who's an ex-ranger there. It has many more details I couldn't fit into a video like this one if you're interested in learning more!

@recondrone6826 2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries Thanks.. I'll check into it. Question: Have you ever done any research on the Falls of the Ohio..I believe it's a state park now. Should be some really interesting pre columbus history of how the native americans used the resources around the falls and how the settling of the Ohio river valley transpired and changed for the past 300 years by the Europeans!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

@@recondrone6826 I was actually in Louisville after my trip to Mammoth Cave, and the Falls of the Ohio were recommended to me, but I didn't end up making it there. They have an interesting history for sure though!

@deleted5522 2 жыл бұрын

Please do a video of Hoover Dam. The water level is rapidly dropping and it's becoming a crisis that deserves some attention!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

I have a video on Glen Canyon, in which Lake Mead makes an appearance! It's mainly a historical overview that gives context to the issues these dams are facing today. Thanks for the recommendation!

@deleted5522 2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries Tnank you for re-directing me I'm watching that one now. I used to live in vegas from 01-12 and have seen how it used to be 20 years ago vs the rate it has gone down in the past 3-4 years. It's frightening for everyone out there.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

@@deleted5522 It's a tough situation, no doubt about it. There's no easy solutions and a lot of different interests to be served. I appreciate you weighing in on these issues - talking about them, for me, is one of the best ways to start solving them.

@deleted5522 2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries I absolutely agree.

@d.s.7637 2 жыл бұрын

When they blew the hole into the cave, it actually disrupted the natural ecosystem. I cant find any info right now, but last time I went, I remember them pointing out all of the conservation efforts and monitoring they've been doing because of it. It is a great, and affordable National Park to visit.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Wouldn't surprise me. Mammoth Cave was being toured and exploited long before it became a National Park and no doubt natural processes were disrupted.

@mikechampion1614 Жыл бұрын

The creation of Mammoth Cave.benifited from the creation of the CCC. Civilian Conservation Corps.which provided much needed work to struggling Americans.and the hard work can still be seen today all around ànd Mammoth cave itself.

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

Absolutely. The CCC was critical for so many places on our public lands. A great program, for sure!

@Mockingbird_Taloa 2 жыл бұрын

Not a national park, but Picture Caves in Missouri would make for an interesting video. A cave exploration group recently had the nerve to outbid the Osage Nation (to whom the cave is a sacred site, which ought to be in their custody) so they could be the ones to 'protect' the cave, as if Indigenous folx are incapable of protecting their own sacred places properly. There is a convoluted history of ownership and access, which the Cave Wars reminded me of. Great job on this one, btw!

@Isaac_L.. 2 жыл бұрын

From the research I've done a LLC (apparently created for the transaction) purchased the cave and the buyer was completely autonomous. I have my doubts it was a "cave exploration group" as it definitely doesn't seem to be anyone associated with the NSS. And while I generally agree with indigenous people managing their ancestral land, I disagree that they should be given blind access always no questions asked. Look at the Ganges River in India which is one of the most polluted on earth partially due to the local beliefs that it is supernaturally able to clean itself. Preservation should be the first priority, indigenous tradition the second, and tourism the third. In this case though, yeah the Osage Nation should be given access.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds interesting, thanks for brining it to my attention. And thanks for watching!

@kscott2655 2 жыл бұрын

At 5:47, is that a farm in Texas? There's some very distinctive bluebonnet type flowers in that field. And while I know Texas doesn't have a monopoly on lupine flowers, they are incredibly common in the state around April. Just sparked my curiosity.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

No idea lol. That was a stock footage shot 😂

@craigsanders8209 Жыл бұрын

My Great Grandparents had land close by , Half of which is under Nolin Lake . Sanders ferry across the Green is still there , Bill Ned Sanders & Roseanna Morris , my Grandfather Paul was born in 1905 , Equestrians that watched that mess from the outside looking in .

@JoelRipke 2 жыл бұрын

Floyd Collins is an excellent musical, btw

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

There's a musical?!?!

@zachjones6944 2 жыл бұрын

Pura Vida!

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Love my ticos! Chillest place on Earth 🇨🇷

@craigsanders8209 Жыл бұрын

My Grandfather lived close by in the 1920s / 1930s , good people who’s families had been in the region for 100 years stayed away from that mess .

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

It's truly unfortunate how many people were exploited during that time period. Very cool to have family history around there though! Thanks for sharing!

@sergiocoto1812 Жыл бұрын

A Tico here!!! Big hugs!!! Pura Vida Mae!

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

I love your country!!! Please adopt me ❤

@sergiocoto1812 Жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries Sir from now on I declare you: tico. Ya sos un tico más!

@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын

@@sergiocoto1812 My dream come true 😍

@chasegilmond5637 2 жыл бұрын

Calvin Coolidge was awesome

@jayyydizzzle 2 жыл бұрын

Yay

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

🙌

@DrifterG36 2 жыл бұрын

Are we 100% sure that's why he was called dry hole George? 🧐

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

👀

@mchef117 2 жыл бұрын

Let's gooo

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

🙌

@GaiaCarney 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for educating people about Stephen Bishop, cave explorer, self-taught geologist, curious & intrepid 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 It is to our Country’s shame he was enslaved & exploited 😔

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, one of Mammoth Cave's greatest explorers!

@mrliberty8468 Жыл бұрын

In Ky people own the land beneath them so if they were developing caves. Its thiers to develop as long as no human remains involved.

@NuTacLLC 2 жыл бұрын

No one knows who the “first” humans were to explore the cave. All we know are who the earliest known humans were.

@johnhouchins3156 2 жыл бұрын

How sure are you of the pronounciation of "Houchin"? I'm related, but we pronounce it rhyming with couch. Curious.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Not at all lol. I couldn't find any source material that would have led me toward a particular pronunciation, so just went with my gut.

@johnhouchins3156 2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries Thanks. You could be right. Pronounciation of the name is all over the place. (Of course, we're convinced WE'RE right. ;-)

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

@@johnhouchins3156 Haha, I had another commenter agree with your pronunciation so things are looking good for you guys 😂

@mikemhoon 2 жыл бұрын

Dang....all that for a hole in the ground?

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

A very _lucrative_ hole in the ground!

@nmarkert01 2 жыл бұрын

Marty McFly’s dad did a lot of stuff before high school I guess.

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

😂

@_ilincic 6 ай бұрын

The other video you made about this topic was so cool and interesting. This one not so much. You talk for about ten seconds about ancient anthropological facts. Personally I was more interested in that instead of these cave wars

@tim.a.k.mertens 10 ай бұрын

what cappers... no cap?

@ThePannda 2 жыл бұрын

houchens(how-chins) not who-chins lol

@3plus6equals25 Жыл бұрын

Think that family owes some reparations..

@Iamthelolrus 2 жыл бұрын

Guy looked good for 4000 years old, I wonder if it's the paleo diet?

@NationalParkDiaries 2 жыл бұрын

Must be 😂

@dylankopff5062 11 ай бұрын

Of course there was cave wars people war for everything why not caves

@sharontabor7718 9 ай бұрын

4:06 is not Mammoth Cave or any other cave in the area. I would know as I grew up outside the national park. Why are you putting images in a video that have nothing to do with the topic and misleading to viewers?

@GuadalupePicasso 7 ай бұрын

😆😆😆😆😆

@malcolm6950 2 жыл бұрын

😌 ρɾσɱσʂɱ

@tobasco_jones6160 2 жыл бұрын

You misused the work cacophony. Or atleast I think you did.

@peterbodjanac7698 2 жыл бұрын

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