Patricia Crowther (caver) facts for kids
Patricia ("Pat") P. Crowther (born 1943), later known as Patricia P. Wilcox, is a brave American cave explorer and surveyor. She was very active in the 1960s and early 1970s. Pat also worked as a computer programmer. She is famous for her important discoveries in the huge cave systems of Kentucky.
Contents
Exploring Caves
Pat Crowther was well known among cavers in Kentucky. She was light and very determined. These qualities helped her explore narrow cave passages. Other cavers could not or would not try these tight spots.
The Tight Spot
One of her most famous achievements was going through a narrow canyon. It was called "The Tight Spot". This part of the Flint Ridge Cave System was very important. It led to passages that connected the Flint Ridge system with Mammoth Cave.
Connecting the Caves
Pat Crowther and her husband at the time, Will Crowther, were both computer programmers. They joined many trips to connect these two large cave systems. On September 9, 1972, Pat was part of the team that found the final connection. They also mapped this historic link. This was a huge step in understanding the world's longest cave system.
Life and Family
Pat Crowther studied physics at MIT. This is where she met and married William Crowther. They had two daughters, Sandy and Laura.
The Colossal Cave Adventure Game
After their divorce in 1976, William Crowther created a computer game. It was called Colossal Cave Adventure. This was one of the first "interactive fiction" games. It was based on his and Pat's real-life cave exploring experiences in the Mammoth Cave system. He made the game to connect with his daughters. Pat first saw the game at a meeting of the Cave Research Foundation around 1976 or 1977. Even though the game added things like an underground volcano, cavers said it was very accurate to Pat's maps and descriptions of the caves.
Later Life
In 1977, Pat married John Wilcox. He had led many of the cave connection trips. They were married for 33 years until he passed away on September 1, 2010.
Books and Documentaries
Pat Crowther wrote a book called The Grand Kentucky Junction. This book tells the story of the expeditions. It describes how the Mammoth and Flint Ridge cave systems were connected.
In 1997, Pat also appeared in a National Geographic documentary. It was called Mysteries Underground. This film also talked about the amazing connection of the Flint Ridge Cave System with Mammoth Cave.
