Hidden River Cave: A cave, a dentist, “Cave Wars,” pollution, and renewal

By Matthew Brown, Wandering Kentucky

Let’s go take a look at Hidden River Cave.

Folks have been gathering here for years, attracted to the cool air and fresh water. In the late 19th century, a dentist named George Thomas bought what was then known as Horse Cave with the hope of it providing water and electricity for the community.

The rise of the automobile brought even more tourists to the area, seeking underground adventure. The cave was renamed “Hidden River Cave” and tours began around 1916.

But there was plenty of competition, with upwards of 20 show caves in the region. Fierce rivalries were born from this, with cave owners employing “cappers” (so called for the distinctive caps they wore) to redirect visitors to their cave. Tactics were varied, with some claiming a rival cave was dangerous or even collapsed, and others helpfully giving directions to the wrong cave. It was a cutthroat time known as “The Cave Wars.”

Hidden River Cave was tied to these “wars,” even becoming a victim of a rival business owners ire. Having built a new facility above a part of the cave, the owner drilled down through the earth into an open passage. As tours went through, the toilets above would be flushed, much to the chagrin of anyone in the cave below.

The era of The Cave Wars can be hard to define. It is hard to dispute that the absolute height of it was in 1925, the year Floyd Collins died. His cave was one of the last that travelers would reach, and the journey was rough. He set out to find an entrance closer to the front of the line, so to speak, and got trapped for 14 days before succumbing to exposure.

Collins was the only death attributed to the Cave Wars.

As tastes and trends changed, so did the business of cave tours. Hidden River Cave became polluted, the water undrinkable by the 1930s, and tours ceasing by the 40s. All signs of life in the cave were gone shortly after.

It would take until the 1980s for things to change, something I’ve detailed more in another post. In short, the American Cave Conservation Association moved to Horse Cave, a new wastewater plant came online, and the cave began to heal. It’s an incredible story of renewal!

These days, the cave air is cool and fresh, the water is clean, and tours depart every hour. The 230 steps down are plenty easy, and the paths in the cave are well-lit while leaving a little of that spooky mystique of being underground. They’ve recently installed the longest suspension bridge in a cave in the world. The one-hundred foot span might give you pause, but if I can do it, anybody can!

At the end of the guided tour, you reach the spectacular Sunset Dome, one of the largest free-standing domes in the United States. Words can not do it justice. You really have to see it for yourself!

The thing about caves is that they never really end. There’s always a new river to map, a new passage to explore. As I wind myself down into Hidden River Cave, I wind myself down into its history. Each visit reveals a new story, a new idea to explore. You probably won’t find me on the wild cave tour, but there are still adventures I can take in my mind!

About the author: Matthew Brown, a retired chef, has spent three years travelling the Bluegrass and telling the tales of his adventures via a project he calls “Wandering Kentucky” www.wanderingkentucky.com