Archive Record
Images

Metadata
Title |
UA6 Lost River Cave & Valley Series 2 Administrative File Subseries 4 Property |
Creator |
Lost River Cave & Valley |
Description |
Unprocessed property files created by and about Lost River Cave. |
Collection |
WKU Archives |
Object Name |
Records |
Admin / Biog History |
In 1986 the Cave entrance and the 25-acre wooded valley was donated to Western Kentucky University by its owners: WKU professor Dr. Raymond Cravens, WKU Physical Plant Administrator Owen Lawson and Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Highbaugh. The donation served as the springboard for the restoration and preservation of Lost River Cave and the surrounding natural environment. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, The Friends of the Lost River, Inc. (dba Lost River Cave) was incorporated in 1990 to facilitate the conservation and sustainability of the Cave and surrounding area. In the spring of 1999, visionary board member Dr. Nicholas Crawford, Director of WKU’s Center for Cave and Karst Studies, convinced the board to build a dam inside the Cave with the aim of providing float tours of the interior. His idea was to generate funding for the conservation effort; his logic was along the lines of "if we build it they will come." In 2001, the threat of commercial development on land directly adjacent to the Cave and valley compelled the Friends organization to pursue protection of that land as well. Drawing on support from the City Commission and the Greenways Commission of Bowling Green and Warren County, an additional 42 acres was purchased. Since then, acquisition of additional parcels has expanded the park to 70-acres that offers trails, wetlands, meadows and a restored prairie. Today, the income from the underground boat tour, gift shop and event rentals sustain the ongoing work to preserve and maintain Lost River Cave as a cultural and natural landmark. Local visitors to the park may decide to purchase a park membership, make a donation or volunteer service hours to contribute to the Friends’ mission. [Lost River Cave website: https://lostrivercave.org/our-story/] |
Subjects |
Maps Caves Tourism Landscape architecture drawings |
Search Terms |
Lost River Cave (Bowling Green, KY) Friends of Lost River Cave |
Finding Aids |
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_fin_aid/688/ |
Related Materials |
UA1C11.25 Lost River Cave Photo Collection |
Catalog Number |
UA6.2.4 |
Copyrights |
Copyright owned by Lost River Cave & Valley |
Caption |
WKU Archives Logo |
Extent |
oversize |
Number of Images |
1 |
Access Conditions |
This record group is unprocessed and must be reviewed for potential restricted materials before access is granted. Please contact the WKU Archivist prior to your visit. |
Parent ID |
UA6.2 |
Level of Description |
Subseries |
Disciplines |
Speleology Social and Behavioral Sciences Real Estate Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Tourism Landscape Architecture |
Containers |
Plans Maps Drawings Maps Charts Lost River Cave Map |