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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

In 1934, Black cave guide Matt Bransford sold his 14-room Mammoth Cave hotel and land for just $3,000, far below market value; the family then moved 20 miles away as the national park took shape

Mammoth Cave Kentucky

Deep below the forests of Kentucky is a world of water, stone and centuries-old human history. Mammoth Cave National Park has the world’s longest known cave system, but its story is about far more than underground passages. It’s also a story about indigenous exploration, enslaved guides, ambitious entrepreneurs, tourism, conservation, and families changed by the landscape’s transformation into a national park. One such story is that of Matt Bransford, a Black cave guide with family deep roots in Mammoth Cave and its tourism industry. Scroll down to read the story and what makes it so unique

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