According to legend, just before the turn of the 19th century, a Kentucky hunter by the name of John Hutchins found a black bear in the hills just outside of Bowling Green, and he shot.

Wounded, the animal ran as Hutchins gave chase.

Although some suggest it was actually the bear that chased Hutchins. Regardless as their race through what was

still largely virgin forest came to a close, the bear escaped. But not before leading

the hunter to the entrance of a cave he would eventually be credited with discovering.

A cave so large that it has yet to be fully mapped, although over 400 miles have been documented thus far.

A cave so big that it would eventually earn the title of Mammoth.

While not the first and certainly not the last to explore the wonders of the cave,

Hutchins' discovery would mark the beginning of an era of underground exploration.

The land above would change hands frequently as the hidden world beneath was mined for Salt Peter,

a crucial ingredient in the production of black gunpowder used in the War of 1812.

Working conditions were poor, with the smoke of oil lanterns and fires,

making it difficult to breathe and see an already difficult task in the constant darkness

that surrounded those who worked there. But by 1816, Salt Peter Mining had come to an end,

and the expansive caverns had officially been designated

Mammoth Cave. The first of countless guided tours would step off into the gloom,

leading eager visitors deep into the adventurous and beauty of a new underground world,

and it would be the guides at their forefront that would have a legacy lasting decades.

On this episode of Parkography, a new look at the incredible beginnings of Mammoth Cave National Park.

On the ceilings and walls of Mammoth Cave, visitors can find thousands of names, written in smoke,

traces of a time when such an act wasn't just permitted, it was encouraged. One of the oldest and most prolific of those names

is simply Stephen. As mammoth's most famous explorer, Stephen Bishop would take his candle to the ceiling

...