Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is a national park rich in the history of places and people, including things left behind when residents of the land were removed to make way for this national park, either by purchase of their property or by eminent domain (the compulsory acquisition of private land for public use). The people who lived there often felt they sacrificed not only all they were familiar with, but also their ancestor and family bonds. These ancestors are buried at some 80 cemeteries within the national park, either attached to churches, constructed alongside the roadway, or scattered deep within the forest.
Stephen Bishop's headstone may be seen at the Old Guide's Cemetery, located just off the Heritage Trail in Mammoth Cave National Park / NPS - Tegan Sorensen
These reminders of human history that you may see while you drive through the park or hike its trails are not only reminders of human history, but the presence of these sites matter to family descendants and researchers.
According to park staff:
In the years following the park’s establishment in 1941 a concerted effort was made to return the land to its previous wilderness state. The Civilian Conservation Corps dismantled homes, took down fences, and planted nearly one million trees. Three historic churches were left standing and cemeteries along roadways were kept manicured. Many cemeteries however were all too soon overtaken by the woodland that began to grow around them and became isolated in remote areas of the park.
Discovering Local Heritage
Within more recent times, these cemeteries have gained increased interest among some who may have no family connections at all. Some cemeteries and gravesites demonstrate extraordinary stonework. These areas exhibit large rock walls that were constructed around individual graves or larger walls around entire families. Over the many decades some of these walls have suffered damage due to tree falls or simply by weathering that caused some stones to collapse. Fortunately, a group of expert stonemasons working with the park were so captivated by such craftmanship, they soon traveled to multiple cemeteries and gravesites to meticulously repair and re-lay the stones as they once were.
Recording the Past
Of course, the park cemeteries have always held interest among family and genealogical researchers. Throughout the years many have traveled long distances to see the grave of a relative they have searched for. Sadly, for many, physically reaching some of these areas is not possible. However, a large-scale project conducted by the Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) made searching much easier. They traveled to each known cemetery in the park and conducted a full survey of each site. They photographed and transcribed all legible headstones and used a Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) to show precise locations of these areas in the park. The project was put online and is available to the public. Now, those searching for a specific cemetery or individual that may not be able to physically travel here, can virtually visit with the click of a button.
Below are a few of the cemeteries you can see along a short trail or just off the road as you travel through the park. Click each link for more detailed descriptions of the churches/cemeteries.
Old Guide’s Cemetery
The Old Guide’s Cemetery is a small cemetery located just off the Heritage Trail, a 0.5-mile (0.8-km) trail through the woods. Buried here is Stephen Bishop, a famous 19th Century African-American cave guide, along with three tuberculosis patients who died during the Mammoth Cave Tuberculosis cave treatment experiment of 1842.
Mammoth Cave Baptist Church & Cemetery
Located in the Mammoth Cave/Flint Ridge area which later became a part of the park, the church and cemetery are nestled in a densely wooded area of the park. Here, you can see the workmanship of the early settlers.
Joppa Missionary Baptist Church & Cemetery
The Joppa Missionary Baptist Church, now a part of the National Register of Historic Places, offers a glimpse into the early life of the settlers and their social history in the Mammoth Cave/Joppa Ridge/Elko area before becoming a part of the national park.Located right behind the church is the Joppa Missionary Baptist Cemetery where you can visit some of the historic settlers of the days gone by.
Good Spring Baptist Church & Cemetery
Good Spring Baptist Church is located near the Maple Springs trailhead and had the largest membership of any church in the Green River Association from 1896 to 1900.
Mansfield Cemetery, Mammoth Cave National Park / NPS file
The historic churches and cemeteries you come upon should be viewed and treated with respect for their history, architecture, and stonemasonry. Please pick up any trash you see.
If you are interested in genealogy or history, in general, the park offers an ArcGIS Mammoth Cave Cemetery Database of historic cemeteries. Click on each cemetery and grave for information and photographs. Use the database’s search tool to find a specific cemetery. Find a particular grave by entering the last name.
