"Book design by Under Earth Images, www.underearth.us" --Back cover. Includes bibliographical references and index.
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.
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.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.