Underground Wilderness? Mammoth Cave National Park, the Wilderness Act of 1964, and the Limits of Preservation

In September 1972, a team of cave explorers successfully linked the Flint Ridge Cave System to Mammoth Cave, creating the world's longest known cave system. This discovery occurred during a pivotal period for Mammoth Cave National Park, as it grappled with the implications of the 1964 Wilderness Act, which aimed to protect 'untrammeled' natural areas while balancing increased visitation and local development demands. The study explores the unique challenge of designating underground wilderness within national parks, contrasting it with surface-focused preservation efforts nationwide. It also examines the park's historical context, including its role in the War on Poverty through the Job Corps program and the tension between preservationists and local communities over park development.

Warrick, A. D. (2018). Underground Wilderness? Mammoth Cave National Park, the Wilderness Act of 1964, and the Limits of Preservation. Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, 116(3-4), 405–441. https://doi.org/10.1353/khs.2018.0091