Archeological Investigations

by Gerard Fowke

Linville Cave.—This is 4 miles almost directly west of Bluff City. Apparently it is of great extent, for large sink holes connected with it are scattered over an area of several hundred acres. There are three principal openings. The largest is near the top of a knoll or low hill, and is due to the falling in of the roof. The sunken part has an area of about 30 by 60 feet. Usually, in such cases, the débris entirely fills one end of the cavity thus made, obscuring that part of the cavern, the other end being kept open by surface drainage. In this case, owing to the dip of the strata—some 8 or 10 degrees—and to a change in direction of the cavern at this point, both ends may be entered from the fallen rocks and earth. At one side the descent is precipitous and winding, over and among large fallen rocks. No level place is reached in daylight. At the other side the descent follows the natural dip of the strata and no level space can be found from which the entrance is visible. This part, also, is filled with rocks, large and small, from the roof and sides, and was never habitable.

Fifty yards from the main entrance is another much smaller cave, on the slope of the knoll. It is at the bottom of a crevice 10 feet deep. The floor is level, but only a few square yards in extent, the sloping roof reaching it within 10 feet. As there is considerable drainage into the cavity from the hillside, it is probable that this floor, at least the upper portion, is of recent origin, and that the earth extends downward indefinitely toward the subterranean stream.

West of the knoll on which these openings are found is a valley 2 or 3 miles long. Timber shuts off the view toward its head. This is drained by a constant stream which after winding from side to side of the little vale flows under the knoll. The hole where it disappears is small, but as no rock floor is visible it may lead into a large cavern, and there is no doubt that all the sink holes in the vicinity as well as the two openings above described eventually have the same outlet. Excavations would be difficult and useless.

Thomas Cave.—In the face of a steep hillside, near the south (left) bank of the Holston, 3 miles east of Bluff City, is a room with a nearly level floor 10 by 18 feet in the longest measurements. A narrow passage, high enough for a man to walk in, branches off to the right but soon begins to diminish in size and at 100 feet becomes too small to crawl through. The débris in front of the cave is piled to a height of 16 feet above the present floor, and the highest floods of the river reach to about the same level on the outside. The rapid disappearance of the surface water which finds its way in indicates an underground passage to the river, so that a solid floor would not probably be reached above the ordinary water level.

Arklow Cave.—This is a mile and a half southeast of Bluff City. It was reported to have a level earth floor, not more than 4 feet below the accumulation outside. While this was formerly the case, cultivation of the hills around now causes a great amount of surface water to flow over the little bluff into which the cave opens, and this has carried nearly all of the loose earth away through some underground channel. The descent for upward of 30 feet is steep and rugged; it was not traced farther.

Morrell Cave.—On the south side of the Holston River, 2½ miles east of Bluff City, lies the farm of E.S. Worley. Except for a narrow strip of river bottom land, the surface is broken and rocky, the highest point being some 400 feet above the stream. Beginning near the brow of the river hill the central portion of the farm is in a depression whose very irregular rim or watershed surrounds an area of more than 100 acres. All the water that falls within this space drains into a sink hole the bottom of which is but little above flood stage of the Holston. On the south side of this sink is a vertical bluff 120 feet high, from whose foot emerges a stream that after a winding course of 50 or 60 yards disappears in a small opening on the east side of the sink hole, and finally comes to the surface at the foot of the hill, near the river. Its volume is sufficient, even in time of severest drought, to turn the undershot wheel of a large mill. The course of the stream above the point where it is first visible is through a cave which has been traced to the foot of the Holston Mountains, 3 miles away, and there are many unexplored branches. Chambers are known with a cross measure of 100 feet or more, and some of them have a height nearly as great. Stalactites and stalagmites, some of them possessing unusual size and beauty, are abundant.

The sink hole is due to the falling in of the roof of the cave, which could no doubt be followed to the river if it were free from obstructions in this direction.

North of west from the mouth of the cave is another opening, partly in the same strata but 40 feet higher, the dip of the rock being 10 or 12 degrees to the southeast. This was so blocked with talus which had fallen from the cliff and washed down the side of the sink hole that it was necessary to creep nearly 40 feet from the entrance, down a moderate slope, before coming to a point where it was possible to stand upright. From here progress to the junction of the two caves, about half a mile from the entrance, is easy except where fallen rocks interfere somewhat.

Early in the Civil War a large amount of saltpeter was manufactured here. A dam was constructed just within the mouth of the main cave, and in the pool thus formed boats were used to transport the material from the interior. The workmen not required for handling the craft usually preferred to walk through the upper cave to the place where the earth was procured.

The combination of natural features at this place is unusually favorable to aboriginal habitation. The main cave is excluded from consideration by reason of the stream filling it from wall to wall after very heavy rains. The upper cave, however, showed, beyond the débris choking the entrance, a level floor, cumbered, it is true, by fallen rocks, but apparently quite suitable for a dwelling place were these removed. Although opening toward the north, its position so far below the summits of the surrounding hills protects it from winter winds. The creek assures an ample supply of clear cold water. Mountains, refuge for game, are in sight in various directions, while the Holston River is less than a quarter of a mile away.