Oligo-Nunk Cave System facts for kids

The Oligo-Nunk Cave System is a group of six caves located in Kentucky, United States. These caves are a natural wonder and home to special wildlife.

History of the Oligo-Nunk Caves

For many years, until the early 1900s, a train company called the C&O railway operated tours at the Oligo-Nunk caves. This was a very popular business. The company even ran special trains every week to Carter, Kentucky, just so people could visit the caves on Honeycomb Mountain.

Changes in Ownership

In the early 1900s, a man named J.F. Lewis bought the land where the caves are. At first, he did not plan to continue the cave tours. He decided to stop all public visits to the Honeycomb Mountain caves. So, the tours were closed, and no visitors were allowed inside.

Reopening and Improvements

Later, in the 1920s, Lewis faced problems with his tobacco farming business. Because of this, he decided to reopen the caves to the public. He made many improvements to the caves. He made the paths better and added drainage to keep them from flooding. He also reopened the visitor building. These changes helped him attract more tourists to the area.

However, this new period of tours did not last very long. The caves were closed to the public again. The Lewis family then decided to focus on other businesses that made more money.

Current Status of the Caves

Today, the Oligo-Nunk caves are still private property. They are owned by the Lewis family. Originally, people thought there were four separate caves open for visitors. But later, experts explored the caves and found that they were all connected. This means they are actually one very large cave system.

When the caves were first opened, engineers and artists worked to make them more beautiful. They removed anything that seemed to spoil the natural look. They even built stairways in some places to make it easier for people to explore.

Wildlife in the Caves

The Oligo-Nunk Cave System is an important home for many different kinds of bats. These bats use the caves for hibernation during the colder months. Hibernation is like a long, deep sleep that some animals do in winter.

Endangered Bat Species

Several types of bats live in these caves. Two very important species are the Indiana bat and the Gray bat. Both of these bats are on the Federal Endangered Species list. This means their numbers are very low, and they are at risk of disappearing forever. Protecting places like the Oligo-Nunk caves helps these special bats survive.