Theses and Dissertations Collection

Mammoth Cave, located in Kentucky, is the longest cave in the world as well as a significant archeological site. This project sought to investigate a pit at the Historic Entrance of the cave and evaluate its archeological significance by using archival research, pedestrian survey, and test excavation. This study clearly demonstrated the existence of historical archeological materials in the pit specifically and the Historic Entrance more broadly. The pit has been found eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A, because of its association with the development of tourism in America. Additionally, it is eligible under Criterion D because of its potential to provide information about historic period use of the cave. Due to the dynamic geology of the cave, the pit is currently in the process of opening back up. This poses a severe risk to the cultural deposits in the pit, so the recommendation is to excavate the pit to recover as much information as possible before the archeological materials are destroyed by erosion.