Along the banks of the winding Green River, newly fallen leaves rustle as a man walks from his camp toward the high bluffs. Pausing to gaze back into the deep river valley and then upward into the sunlight sparkling on the crimson and golden leaves still clinging to their summer hosts, he thinks about the great darkness that lies just ahead beneath the forest floor. He has journeyed there many times since he was a young man. Around campfires he often listened to the stories of the old people who journeyed into the darkness. Now he himself is old. Perhaps this winter he will tell his own tales about the great cave that opens directly beneath his feet. The mysterious darkness of Mammoth Cave in southwestern Kentucky has both lured travelers to enter and warned them to stay away. Some entered and never returned. Most entered and came back to tell of their experiences in the dark, silent, and mysterious cave. From the dawn of time visitors have been awestruck by the cave’s size and its rugged beauty.
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About This Lesson Getting Started: Inquiry Question Setting the Stage: Historical Context Locating the Site: Maps Determining the Facts: Readings Visual Evidence: Images
Putting It All Together: Activities |
How the National Register This lesson is based on Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the thousands of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. |
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