National Register of Historic Places

Cave City Commercial District

Cave City, Barren County, Kentucky
Listed
July 19, 1983
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
83002529

About this property

The Cave City Commercial District, in Cave City, Kentucky, is a historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is located along Broadway between 1st and 2nd Streets in Cave City. The district included 15 contributing buildings on 3.5 acres (1.4 ha). According to its NRHP nomination, the districthas significance as being the last intact section of a once architecturally cohesive and thriving business area. While not extremely important individually, as a group these commercial buildings signify the important economic growth which Cave City experienced during the last half of the 19th century. Established in 1853, Cave City was a planned community, established primarily because of its proximity to the Mammoth Cave resort and the proposed Louisville and Nashville Railroad line. During that year four Louisville speculators purchased the land for the town site. By 1860 the population had grown to one hundred and fifty. The district was deemed to have "significance as being the last intact section of a once architecturally cohesive and thriving business area. While not extremely important individually, as a group these commercial buildings signify the important economic growth which Cave City experienced during the last half of the 19th century."

Location

Cave City, Barren County, Kentucky
37.13833, -85.95879

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

McCoy, Andrew, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Wigwam Village No. 2
Listed
0.9 mi
Horse Cave Historic District
Listed
4.1 mi
Unknown Confederate Soldier Monument in Horse Cave
Colonial
4.2 mi
Rock Cabin Camp
Industrial
4.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cave City Commercial District listed on the National Register?

Cave City Commercial District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Cave City Commercial District?

Cave City Commercial District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cave City Commercial District?

The period of significance for Cave City Commercial District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Cave City Commercial District?

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