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Mammoth Cave National ParkSaltpetre mining ruins in Mammoth Cave. The apparatus was damaged in the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812.
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Mammoth Cave National Park
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Did You Know? Native Americans mined minerals in Mammoth Cave for 2,000 years.  

Did You Know?
Native Americans of the Early Woodland period gathered minerals from Mammoth Cave between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago ... no one knows why. Objects they left behind – slippers, cane torches, gourds, and mussel shells – remain perfectly preserved in the cave.

Last Updated: July 31, 2006 at 11:42 EST