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Mammoth Cave Curiosities: A Guide to Rockphobia, Dating, Saber-toothed Cats, and Other Subterranean Marvels
Sir Elton John, blind fish, the original Twinkie, President Ronald Reagan's Secret Service detail, and mummies don't usually come up in the same conversation—unless you're at Mammoth Cave National Park! Home to the earth's longest known cave system, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the oldest tourist attractions in North America. Although this remarkable place has been immortalized in works ranging from Herman Melville's Moby Dick to H. P. Lovecraft's "The Beast in the Cave," the realities of life at Mammoth Cave can be stranger than fiction.
In this charming book, Colleen O'Connor Olson takes readers on a tour through a labyrinth of topics. She discusses scientific subjects such as the fossils of prehistoric animals and the secret lives of subterranean critters, and she provides essential information on dating in the cave (the age of rocks and artifacts, not courtship). Olson also explores Mammoth Cave's rich history, covering its use as the world's first tuberculosis sanatorium as well as its operation as a saltpeter mine during the War of 1812, and shares the inspirational story of the park's first female ranger.
Throughout, Olson offers up humorous accounts of celebrity visits and astounding adventures and even includes a chapter dedicated to jokes told in the cave over the years. Whether you're visiting the national park, thinking about visiting, or just curious about a place recognized as one of the world's greatest natural wonders, don't miss this delightful guide to the wild and wonderful subterranean world of Mammoth Cave.
In this charming book, Colleen O'Connor Olson takes readers on a tour through a labyrinth of topics. She discusses scientific subjects such as the fossils of prehistoric animals and the secret lives of subterranean critters, and she provides essential information on dating in the cave (the age of rocks and artifacts, not courtship). Olson also explores Mammoth Cave's rich history, covering its use as the world's first tuberculosis sanatorium as well as its operation as a saltpeter mine during the War of 1812, and shares the inspirational story of the park's first female ranger.
Throughout, Olson offers up humorous accounts of celebrity visits and astounding adventures and even includes a chapter dedicated to jokes told in the cave over the years. Whether you're visiting the national park, thinking about visiting, or just curious about a place recognized as one of the world's greatest natural wonders, don't miss this delightful guide to the wild and wonderful subterranean world of Mammoth Cave.
- GenresHistory
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 11, 2025
3.5 rounded up because I love local books and especially books about state parks.
I got this book on a trip to Mammoth Cave. On the one hand I wish I could have read this and other books before going. And then again I love being able to find these regional books when I travel. What a treat and a way to enhance my trip. Plus I get to benefit the local park/gift shop. Additionally I’m sure not much would make sense without having visited.
This book, written by a cave guide, is full of lots of interesting tidbits about Mammoth cave. Many of them you will learn in the tours. The book fleshed some of those out a bit but not much. Then there are some stories and personal reflections of cave guides through the years that’s interesting. And then toward the end very specific incidents that may not be that much of interest generally but are interesting because they’re so niche. Like how a game designer was surprised that old cave adventures could out do him in caving prowess. I especially like the slightly over long section of every book ever written (to date of publishing) that even slightly mentions or refers to Mammoth Cave.
Mammoth Cave is one of the mid visited parks according to numbers (they got about 650k in 2023). But they definitely are a quirky park- grand, gloomy and peculiar is their tagline ( a quote from enslaved guide Stephen Bishop) and it still fits well. This book is worth a read just as the park is worth a visit.
I got this book on a trip to Mammoth Cave. On the one hand I wish I could have read this and other books before going. And then again I love being able to find these regional books when I travel. What a treat and a way to enhance my trip. Plus I get to benefit the local park/gift shop. Additionally I’m sure not much would make sense without having visited.
This book, written by a cave guide, is full of lots of interesting tidbits about Mammoth cave. Many of them you will learn in the tours. The book fleshed some of those out a bit but not much. Then there are some stories and personal reflections of cave guides through the years that’s interesting. And then toward the end very specific incidents that may not be that much of interest generally but are interesting because they’re so niche. Like how a game designer was surprised that old cave adventures could out do him in caving prowess. I especially like the slightly over long section of every book ever written (to date of publishing) that even slightly mentions or refers to Mammoth Cave.
Mammoth Cave is one of the mid visited parks according to numbers (they got about 650k in 2023). But they definitely are a quirky park- grand, gloomy and peculiar is their tagline ( a quote from enslaved guide Stephen Bishop) and it still fits well. This book is worth a read just as the park is worth a visit.
July 29, 2022
Fun book to read ahead of our upcoming TN/KY/WV road trip…we have tickets reserved for Mammoth Cave
May 27, 2022
I enjoyed reading some sections of this book about rockfalls, earthquakes, gypsum, cave wars, nuclear shelters and famous guests, but it was a little dry in some places. It is a great source of cave info. Some tales I heard mentioned by rangers were briefly told. I would enjoy a book featuring the tales.
May 7, 2025
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, some parts that were not interesting to me and the chapter on the computer games and all the evolutionary bias could have been left out. There is no doubt that Mammoth and others are a marvelous and mysterious work of God!
July 3, 2024
Full of so many cool facts and interesting pictures. The section on earthquakes was surprisingly my favorite!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews