Mammoth Cave National Park Floyd Collins History Tour

Mammoth Cave National Park in south central Kentucky is home to rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. The park holds thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and International Dark Sky Park. One hundred years ago, Floyd Collins — who owned and operated a private tour business at Crystal Cave — became trapped underground. The two-week effort to free him became one of the most sensationalized news events in early U.S. national news history, and the coverage it drew helped push the area toward becoming a national park.