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July 17, 2004 - Green River Fest featuring John Cowan, Pat Flynn, Darrell Scott, Eddie Pennington, Mark Malone, and Soulgrass. The event includes a canoe cleanup of the Green River and children's activities in the afternoon. Contact Munfordville Tourism Commission for more info: (270) 524-4752.
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Just a Few of the Things We Do...See what fun & exciting events are happening at the ACCA
In the News |
Calendar of Events
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In the News
April 2004
The American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) will host its spring sinkhole cleanup on Saturday, April 24, 2004. Volunteers are asked to meet at the American Cave Museum, 119 East Main Street in Horse Cave, by 9:00 a.m. to register for this annual community event.
Each spring and fall, ACCA partners with area residents, scout and student groups, local agencies, and National Speleological Society (NSS) members to cleanup sinkholes in Hart, Barren, Metcalfe, and surrounding counties. Keeping sinkholes cleared of debris is one way to protect the cave region's sensitive underground aquifers.
Funding for the April 24 sinkhole cleanup will be provided by the American Cave Conservation Association and in part by a grant from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Kentucky Division of Water, Nonpoint Source Section.
A complimentary lunch and afternoon cave tours will be provided for all volunteers. To pre-register for the April 24 sinkhole cleanup, contact Peggy Nims at 270-786-1466 or pnims@cavern.org.
February 2004
Sunset Dome Purchased
The purchase of the Sunset Dome property was announced at a press conference on February 18, 2004. The Sunset Dome section of Hidden River Cave is one of the largest dome rooms in Kentucky. This purchase is the first step in the American Cave and Karst Center's three million dollar expansion.
Sunset Dome was purchased from Mammoth Onyx Cave, Incorporated, whose family has owned the property for four generations. The Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund provided funding for this important cave conservation project. The City of Horse Cave is the new owner of this section of Hidden River Cave, and the American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) will manage the property.
December 2003
American Cave Museum Announces Expansion
The American Cave Museum & Karst Center is posed for a major expansion that will double the size of the current museum. Located in the heart of south central Kentucky's karst region, the American Cave Museum is the world's largest museum dedicated to caves.
Partial funding for this project will come from a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that was recently awarded to the city of Horse Cave. In making the announcement, Governor Paul Patton said, "The Horse Cave community is making great strides in becoming a tourist destination. This project is in line with the proposed restoration of the nearby Owens Hotel and the operation of the Horse Cave Theatre."
The city of Horse Cave will receive the funds on behalf of the American Cave and Conservation Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of caves and prevention of groundwater pollution. The Association will utilize the CDBG funds to renovate three buildings for additional museum space, classrooms, offices, a theatre, and a research library. The buildings, which are adjacent to the entrance to Hidden River Cave, are on the National Register. The Kentucky Heritage Council has approved their restoration under the Secretary of Interior design standards.
"We're in the middle of a $2.5 million fund drive to renovate and more than double the size of the American Cave and Karst Center," said Dave Foster, executive director of the American Cave Conservation Association.
According to Foster, the receipt of the grant fund increases the amount raised for the renovation to $2 million. "We're going to raise an additional $500,000 for new museum exhibits", he added.
Since its grand opening in 1993, the American Cave Museum has introduced more than 100,000 people, including families, students and scouts to the fragile, unique world of caves. The American Cave Museum is a state-of-the-art facility featuring two floors of interactive exhibits that depict the story of caves and cave conservation. An article in the Nature Conservancy magazine called the museum "a little bit of Smithsonian in rural Kentucky".
In 2001, the American Cave Museum unveiled a $200,000 exhibit that focuses on the myriad animals that are part of the cave ecosystem. Since many of these elusive cave animals cannot be seen with the naked eye, the new exhibit provides visitors a glimpse at some of the over 200 species that inhabit the caves of southern Kentucky.
"This renovation will enable the museum to handle bus loads of 100 or more kids at a time. The additional space will accommodate our expanding educational enrichment programs that provide real life learning experiences for students and families," Foster observed.
This latest museum addition will provide more hands-on, real life learning experiences for all visitors to the American Cave Museum. A walk through the museum allows cavers, young and old, to explore the exciting world beneath their feet.
Construction on the renovation project is expected to start some time this winter. "Horse Cave residents are going to experience a warmer economic climate when this project, along with the restoration of the Owens Hotel, is complete. Tourists will not just pass through Horse Cave. They'll have good reason to park the car, get out for a longer visit, and spend some money," said Department of Local Government Commissioner Jody Lassiter.
The expansion of the American Cave and Karst Center will provide hands-on learning experiences for all visitors to Kentucky's cave country. The completed museum facility will serve as a national focal point for conservation of America's beautiful, fragile natural caverns and karst
November 2003
Leaders of the Future Quality of Life Day -- On November 4, members of the 2004 Leaders of the Future class (Glasgow, KY) and their adult leaders spent the day exploring different aspects of Barren and Hart Counties that enhance the region's quality of life. The session began with breakfast hosted by Cave City, Kentucky Mayor Bob Hunt and City Clerk Pam Hunt, where the members of the class discussed the impact of tourism on the area's economy and conducted their own mock election. Following breakfast, the Leaders of the Future became speleologists for the day at the American Cave Museum and Hidden River Cave. Traveling the off-the-trail upstream section of the cave, the students experienced first hand the amazing story of the cave's recovery from groundwater contamination. Members of the class observed numerous cave animals in their natural habitat and discovered a variety of pristine cave formations, as they refined their teambuilding and leadership skills. After lunch, the Leaders of the Future discussed Horse Cave's Main Street/Renaissance projects and participated in an on-going marketing study for Hart County. The session culminated with an impromptu performance in the Horse Cave Theatre lobby and a tour of the historic Victorian Thomas House. The Glasgow/Barren County Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Leaders of the Future program. Members of the class include eighth and ninth grade students from the Barren County, Caverna and Glasgow, Kentucky schools.
November 2003
Bed springs, pickle jars, an old refrigerator, used oil filters, license plates, empty antifreeze jugs, rotting garbage bags, truck and tractor tires - these are just a few of the things that clutter area sinkholes. Eventually, anything that is discarded into a sinkhole is washed into local caves and contaminates sensitive groundwater resources.
On Saturday, November 8, twenty volunteers from four states joined forces to haul a lifetime of trash, metal, tires, and other debris from a Hart County sinkhole. Sponsored by the American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) and the Environmental Protection Agency through the Kentucky Division of Water, this annual fall event brings together local residents, students, scouts, and National Speleological Society (NSS) members for a common cause - the protection of south-central Kentucky caves and cave resources. In addition to ACCA members, this year's group included members of the Green River NSS grotto, the Hart of Kentucky grotto, the Bluegrass grotto, Wittenberg University Speleological Society, Western Kentucky University students, and Hart County Solid Waste staff.
Nearly fifty percent of Kentucky is classified as karst - a unique landform characterized by disappearing streams, sinkholes, caves, underground rivers, and springs. Noted for beautiful rolling hills, deep valleys and beautiful caves, karst areas feature some of the region's most scenic natural areas and well-known cave systems. Groundwater is easily contaminated in karst areas because of the numerous sinkholes and caves which allow water to move long distances through underlying rock.
In 1986, the American Cave Conservation Association moved its national headquarters to downtown historic Horse Cave to establish the American Cave and Karst Center and to facilitate the cleanup of Hidden River Cave, which was once one of America's worst polluted caves.
Seven years later, the ACCA opened the Karst Center to enhance the public's awareness of the need to protect caves and underground aquifers. Each facet of the Karst Center is designed to enhance visitors' understanding and appreciation of America's unique, fragile cave ecosystems.
Now known as the American Cave Museum, the Center houses two floors of state-of-the-art exhibits that focus on the geology, hydrology, biology, and culture of caves. As a living museum exhibit, the now clean Hidden River Cave demonstrates the interrelationship of the sinkholes, caves, underground rivers and springs.
The ACCA's environmental education programs utilize hands-on activities and the cave itself to provide real life learning experiences for students of all ages. American Cave Museum educators collaborate with schools and scout groups to share the magic of caves so that each visitor becomes a partner in the on-going effort to protect caves and cave resources.
For more information about the American Cave Conservation Association, its educational programs and volunteer projects, contact Peggy Nims at (270) 786-1466.
May 2001
Over 30 Volunteers, including members of the Cleveland Grotto, the Hart of Kentucky Grotto, and ACCA, removed over 6 tons of garbage from a Hart County sinkhole during ACCA's Annual Sinkhole Clean-up.
April 2001
Hidden River Cave was featured in Reader's Digest. The article, entitled 21st Century Cave Man, featured Kentucky's Hidden River Cave, depicting the history of the Cave throughout the Thomas Era.
March 2001
The ACCA hosted a Farm Workshop in Horse Cave, Kentucky. Over 30 area land managers were in attendance.
July 2000
The hour-long documentary Understanding Caves, which featured Hidden River Cave, aired on The Learning Channel.
The Christian Science Monitor published a terrific article on the ACCA's work in Horse Cave, Kentucky entitled Clean Air. Clean Water. Now, Clean Caves?
January 2000
The Izaak Walton League published an article on cave conservation in its publication Outdoor America.
Calendar of Events
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