History

Many years before the first Europeans landed in North America, bands of Shawnee Indians gathered in a unique area of Kentucky of what is now known as Cave Country. These Indians like many others came to the region to stalk bountiful herds of buffalo and other wild game. To these Native Americans and their ancestors, the area was rich in natural resources and breathtaking sights. From the crests of its green hills to the mysterious depths of its underground passageways, Cave Country was like a hypnotic voice that called upon them to explore its wondrous boundaries.

Of the many caves in the region, Mammoth Cave is the most famous. No one really knows who discovered the world's longest known cave system, but a local legend credits an area hunter who stalked a wounded bear into what is now called the Historic Entrance. Although this legend may have some validity for European settlers, archeological evidence has since proved otherwise: the cave was used by Woodland Indians many years before the Europeans arrived.

Regardless of who actually discovered Mammoth Cave, the exploration of Cave Country's many caverns became an important resource for regional settlers. It soon became evident that the caves not only provided an opportunity for personal adventure, but for commercial possibilities as well. The mining of saltpeter (used to make potassium nitrate and subsequently gunpowder) became a profitable venture for some businessmen. Thousands of pounds of saltpeter were mined out of Mammoth Cave during the War of 1812.

But the role of Cave Country's hundreds of caverns was not limited to mining. In 1842, Mammoth Cave was used in an unsuccessful medical experiment for victims of tuberculosis.

As the economic focus of Cave Country shifted predominantly to tourism, area cave explorers became involved in what is now known as the famous Cave Wars. These battles reached a peak during the 1930s and 1940s, as rival cave attractions fought for the monetary rewards of tourism. Competition to lure visitors to certain area caves led to some violent encounters and even thrust one area man Floyd Collins into the national spotlight. While trying to find a more commercially competitive route for tourists into Crystal Cave, Collins found himself trapped on January 30, 1925.

The story of Floyd Collins is one of the most bizarre tragedies in the history of America. While exploring the Sand Cave, Collins became wedged in a small crawl space when a rock fell and pinned his ankle. As friends and family discovered he was trapped, word spread throughout the region and beyond. News reporters from around the country flooded the area and Collins' plight was thrust into the national spotlight. What followed was a bizarre series of failed rescue attempts and a carnival-like atmosphere in the vicinity of the cave. Although some people could reach Collins and feed him, the condition of the cave became increasingly dangerous and contact with the outside world ceased. Rescuers began digging a vertical shaft and finally reached Collins on February 16, but they were too late, Collins had died. The incident was later deemed the News Story of the Decade.

But the history of Cave Country is not limited to its unique underground passageways. On the contrary, the region was the setting of several Civil War skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces. Hart County, the northern-most area of Cave Country, was a strategic location for both the Blue and the Gray. Within its boundaries were several key bridges on the Louisville & Nashville line. Gen. John Hunt Morgan drove his cavalry through the area and burned several of those bridges in an effort to sever Union supply lines. General Morgan's first raid on Kentucky took place on July 9, 1862, when he attacked the 9th Cavalry at Tompkinsville. In mid-September 1862, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg fought Union troops in the Battle of Munfordville. Over 357 casualties were reported in the battle and Confederate forces are said to have taken almost 4,000 Union prisoners. The Confederacy also posted victories in nearby Allen County, where the 25th Tennessee Infantry drove out Union forces and took 86 prisoners in 1863.

During the Civil War, Glasgow’s railway and depot made it an important communication and supply post for Union troops in south central Kentucky. Glasgow’s strategic importance was due to its location at the crossroads of several north-south and east-west roads and by June 1863 a branch of the L&N Railroad.
In the spring of 1863, Fort Williams was constructed as a “figure 8” shaped redoubt, an enclosed fort, built to withstand attacks from all sides. The fort was armed with 24-pounder and 6-pounder cannons. The fort had several names, but was officially named Fort Williams in November of 1863 in honor of Union Gen. Thomas Williams who was killed in battle.

On Christmas Eve in 1862, Confederate John Hunt Morgan took control of Glasgow for three days, just long enough to destroy Union rail and communication lines. During the battle that occurred, carbine, rifle and pistol fire erupted creating deadly Christmas Eve fireworks. Hard, intense fighting that eventually turned in the favor of the Confederates took place and the Union cavalry was forced out of town, leaving the Barren County seat in the hands of the Confederates. The Union forces retreated to Cave City, leaving two dead and sixteen prisoners behind and taking seven prisoners with them. Morgan’s men lost three killed.

Fort Williams was built in 1863 to deter future attacks of this kind and to maintain Union Control over Southern Kentucky. However, it did not work as planned. On October 6, 1863, the 25th Tennessee Infantry, C.S.A., attacked Fort Williams with 120 men commanded by Col. John M. Hughes.

The fort, garrisoned by the 37th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, U.S.A. and commanded by Maj. Samuel Martin, numbered some 420 men. Fifty men were camped in the Court House square and 30 men were out on patrol. The men on the square were hit at dawn and then Col. Hughes attacked the fort. He reported, "We killed 9, wounded 26 and captured 226, together with quartermaster’s stores in the amount of $250,000.00. My loss was 1 killed and 4 wounded."

In Edmonson County, the South was not as lucky. After Confederate troops raided Brownsville for medical supplies, a band of local Federal soldiers fought a Confederate guerrilla force east of the town and emerged victorious. Just south of Brownsville, both Union and Confederate forces occupied Bowling Green in Warren County. At one point, the city was designated the Confederate Capital of Kentucky, even though most of its residents were said to be pro-Union. The Confederates evacuated Bowling Green in February 1862, as a strong Union force approached and subsequently occupied the city.

To the south, Monroe County was sharply divided and many skirmishes took place between Union and Confederate soldiers. John H. Fraim of Flippin was bitterly opposed to secession and became a leader for the Union cause. He established Camp Anderson as a place of drill and instruction.

During the Confederate occupation of Bowling Green, an outpost was set up at Woodbury, in Butler County, for the purpose of scouting the Green and Barren Rivers and for observing enemy movements in the area. Hearing of the outpost at Woodbury, Union regiments from Hartford and Owensboro joined forces at Cromwell with a plan to attack. On the morning of October 29, 1861, as they traveled toward Woodbury, Union soldier Granville Allen was killed by a Confederate scouting party near Morgantown. Allen was the first Kentuckian killed on Kentucky soil during the Civil War. Later that day at Woodbury, Union forces were successful in one of the war's first skirmishes in the state, driving Confederate troops back toward Bowling Green. In their retreat they received reinforcement then turned to pursue the enemy, catching them at Cromwell the next day as the last company crossed Green River into Ohio County. Four Union soldiers were killed and several others wounded. Both Union and Confederate soldiers were honored in 1907 by a special monument located on the Butler County Courthouse lawn. The monument is one of a select few in the nation that honors soldiers from both sides.

A unique reminder of the Civil War can be found at the Old Jail in Franklin where the walls of the second floor still bear the drawings and graffiti of the men who were incarcerated there during the war. Both Union and Confederate forces were encamped at Octagon Hall in 1862.

The conclusion of the Civil War left Cave Country with part of a national legend that continues today. The legend involves the famous outlaws Frank and Jesse James. The James Brothers were born in Missouri, but their parents Robert and Zerelda James were from Logan County. Ironically, a bank robbed in Russellville in 1868 is popularly attributed to the brothers.

Like the Russellville bank heist, legend surrounds the 1880 robbery of a stagecoach in Cave City. Once again, there is no direct proof the James Brothers participated other than a confessed gang member who linked Jesse to the incident.

Despite the James Brothers' legendary spree of crime in the area, Cave Country is equally known for its religious history. In the town of South Union in Logan County, a community of Shakers was formed in 1807. The group grew to a size of almost 350 in the 1840s and 1850s, with approximately 6,000 acres of land to their credit. And like other Shaker communities in the United States, the South Union Shakers were known throughout the region and beyond for their expert crafts people and artists.

The downfall of the South Union Shakers began during the Civil War as the group hosted both Union and Confederate troops on their way through the area. These troops depleted much of the Shakers’ resources and signaled the beginning of a steady decline in community membership. The last members of the South Union Shakers disbanded in 1922 when the community's assets were sold and remaining members returned to mainstream society.

Logan County was also the site of the Great Revival of 1800 which was led by Rev. James McGready. The event took place at the Red River Meeting House almost 10 miles from Russellville and provided the groundwork for the establishment of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

In the southeast corner of Cave Country, the Old Mulkey Meeting House was built in Tompkinsville in 1804. The uniquely designed building which is a designated state historic site is now recognized as one of the oldest wood churches west of the Alleghenies. A split in the church in 1809 was of major significance in the formation of the present-day Church of Christ. A short distance from Tompkinsville, between Gamaliel and Flippin, the Mt. Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church was built prior to the Civil War by a group of freed slaves. The church was also used as a school for the area's black population. Today, the church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Metcalfe County was established in 1860 and named in honor of Thomas Metcalf, who served in the Corn Stalk Militia and a veteran of the War of 1812. He was the 10th Governor of Kentucky.

Many more of Cave Country's historical buildings are located in Bowling Green, which now boasts seven neighborhoods on the National Register of Historic Places including the Downtown Commercial District. Other areas include the Upper East Main Street Historic District, College Hill District, St. Joseph's Historic District, the Brinton B. Davis Thematic Resource, the Magnolia Street Historic District, and the newest addition, the Shake Rag Historic District which is recognized for its significance to African American history. On the outskirts of the city, Riverview at Hobson Grove provides an example of elegant Victorian architecture.

With a brief look at the history and legends that surround the region, perhaps you feel the need to discover more. If this is the case, come visit Cave Country. You may find that the rich heritage of the area waits like the open arms of a lost friend eager to talk about old and new times.