"The Kentucky Cave Wars" by David Randolph Kem

I have really been in the mood to read up on caves lately.  You know I love visiting all of the caves and other sites in the Kentucky Cave area too.  There is a lot of history.

I finally got around to reading David Randolph Kem's book, "The Kentucky Cave Wars:  The Century That Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park" which is a nice intro to the history of the area.

Most of the names you would expect to read about are here (Bransford, Collins, etc.).  The author gives a very nice bit of history on all of the caves, discoveries, cavers, etc., leading up to Mammoth Cave becoming a National Park.

If you are casually interested in all of the history of Mammoth Cave and the nearby cave's histories, this might be a pretty complete book for you.  This would also be a great starting point for someone just developing an interest in the area.

There is so much more to Mammoth Cave, the Cave Wars, and the development of all of the great show caves though.  I bet most people will want to read more about Kentucky caves after reading "The Kentucky Cave Wars."