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 Dunbar Cave Natural Area State Park - Tennessee Posted by:  snfromky
N 36° 33.006 W 087° 18.333
16S E 472653 N 4045008
After many uses the Dunbar Cave area is now a state park.
Waymark Code: WM2EKK
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 10/20/2007
Views: 34
This 110-acre natural area in Montgomery County is honeycombed by caves and sinkholes, the most prominent being Dunbar Cave. This 8.1 mile cave has historical, natural, archaeological and geological significance. Excavations revealed that this cave has been occupied by man for thousands of years, drawn by its constant stream flow and natural air conditioning.
Park Type: Day Use
Activities:
Picnicking, walking trails, fishing,and a museum but the real highlight of this park is the cave hikes. The cave hikes are held almost daily from June through August and on weekends in the spring and fall. The cave is closed December through February. The tours are $5.00 per person and you must have reservations and your own flashlight. To make reservation call 931-648-5526.
Background:
The entrance to Dunbar Cave was inhabited by local prehistoric peoples for thousands of years before settlers arrived. These peoples also left enigmatic drawings on the cave walls, perhaps as part of religious ceremonies. By 1790 it had been claimed by Isacc Rowe Peterson, however the cave's namesake belonged to a man named Dunbar. During the Mexican-American War, the cave was used to mine saltpeter for gunpowder. In 1858, developers saw the potential in the area, along with nearby Idaho Springs, and the first cabins were built there. After the Civil War, the springs and the cave were acquired by J. A. Tate, who constructed a two-story hotel on the site.
By 1931, the area had hosted numerous social events, including dances, concerts, and fairs, and was in need of repair and renovation. At the time, the state had just completed a new road in front of the hotel and an opportunity arose. A couple of local businessmen cleaned up the site, adding additional recreational facilities, including a concrete swimming pool, bathhouse, and tennis courts, and restoring and expanding the size of the hotel. The existing lake was also dammed up increasing its size to 20 acres.
During the latter half of the 1940s, Dunbar Cave was purchased by Roy Acuff and was the site of musical festivities and entertainment shows, which would host big bands like Benny Goodman's and Tommy Dorsey's. Acuff also added a golf course adjacent to the lake. Over time the popularity of the cave and surrounding area declined, and the hotel closed in 1950, The pool was shut down and buried in 1967.
In 1973, the State of Tennessee, under then Governor Winfield Dunn, purchased the land from Acuff, and classified it a State Park.
On January 15, 2005 Park Specialist Amy Wallace, Geologist and Author Larry E. Matthews, local historian Billyfrank Morrison, and History Professor Joe Douglas discovered Indian Glyphs in Dunbar Cave. These rare glyphs are now being shown to the public on the cave tour. Their existence was announced to the public by the State of Tennessee on July 29, 2006, during the Second Annual Dunbar Cave Day, held at the Park.
Date Established?: 01/01/1973
Link to Park: [Web Link]
Park Fees: Not listed
Additional Entrance Points: Not Listed
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