Everything Everywhere Daily · Sunday, June 28, 2026
The late 19th century saw a boom in 'show caves' as locals sought to capitalize on the tourism surrounding Mammoth Cave. Entrepreneurs competed fiercely, using deceptive tactics to attract visitors. These included posing as law enforcement to divert tourists and spreading false rumors of cave closures or fires.
“Many people hoped to capitalize on this, and it became a competition to find the next big cave entrance to promote.”
“Those operating the show caves were incredibly competitive, and many of the region's owners resorted to shady tactics to win as many tourist dollars as possible.”
“One method used by capper's was to dress as police officers to steer tourists away from the main Mammoth Cave.”