Caves of the Highland Rim / Larry E. Matthews ; featuring photographs by Bob Biddix.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Matthews, Larry E., 1946- author.

Contributor:

Biddix, Bob (Photographer), photographer.

National Speleological Society, issuing body.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Caves--Tennessee.

Caves.

Speleology.

Tennessee.

Speleology--Tennessee.

Physical Description:

vii, 290 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), maps ; 29 cm

Place of Publication:

Huntsville, Alabama : National Speleological Society, Inc., [2019]

Summary:

"Nashville, Tennessee sits in a geographic basin known as the Nashville Basin. As you leave this basin, in any direction you go you rise nearly 300 feet onto a feature known as the Highland Rim. The escarpment for this feature exposes several layers of thick-bedded limestone which are well-suited for the development of caves. Outstanding among these layers is the Bigby-Cannon Limestone. This book describes several dozen of the larger and more interesting caves developed in this Highland Rim. Some of these caves were explored in prehistoric times by the Indians. Others were used by the early pioneers for the production of saltpeter, the main ingredient of gunpowder. Modern exploration began in earnest in the 1950s and continues today. This is the story of the exploration of these caves, told in the words of the original explorers and surveyors wherever possible. Caves of the Highland Rim is lavishly illustrated with 265 maps and photographs. Come along for thrilling tales of exploration and adventure"-- Back cover.

Contents:

Section I: West, north, and northeast section: Davidson, Dickson, Smith, and Sumner counties

John Fisher Cave

Junkyard Cave

Mason Cave

Piper Cave

Ruskin Cave

Section II: East section: Cannon, Coffee, and De Kalb counties

Blowhole Cave

Cripps Mill Cave

Espey Cave

Haws Spring Cave

Henpeck Mill Cave

Indian Grave Point Cave

Pleasant Ridge Cave

Prospect Hill Cave

Robinson Ridge Saltpeter Cave

Short Mountain's Pits

Section III: Southeast and south section: Bedford, Lewis, Maury, and Moore counties

Bishop Cave

DePriest Branch Cave

Godwin Cave

Jack Daniels Cave

Section IV: Conclusions

Saltpeter mining in the caves of the Highland Rim

The biology of the caves of the Highland Rim

The geology of the caves of the Highland Rim

Epilogue.

Notes:

"Book design by Under Earth Images, www.underearth.us" --Back cover.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781680440126

1680440128

OCLC:

1117709831