Map of the Mammoth Cave Prepared for H.C. Hovey

Late 19th century map of the longest known cave system in the world.

This rambling survey shows the contemporary knowledge of Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave system in 1882, when it was published in a guidebook to the area written by Horace Carter Hovey. The cave system had been a valuable source of saltpeter and calcium nitrate since the War of 1812, but near the end of the century it became increasingly known as a tourist destination, especially after 1886 with the opening of the Mammoth Cave Railroad.

While a lack of scale makes gauging the scope of this map difficult, the tunnels depicted cover hundreds of miles beneath Kentucky soil. Various systems are highlighted with different color shades, and sixty four separate landmarks are identified in the accompanying key.