Prehistoric foot prints in Tennessee Cave

[Scorpion68]

A few years back, a friend of mine who is a caver told me about a local cave where prehistoric footprints had been found. I was astounded and extremely interested, especially since it was local and a cave I personally knew of. It's in Pall Mall and called Blowing Cave by most locals but also know as Jaguar Cave since they had found Jaguar skeletons in it. It dates back 10,000 to 35,000 years. Anyway in 1976, when the footprints were found, an investigation was conducted and a report was issued along with pictures. It gets pretty technical at times but for those that are interested I'll post the report. I read the whole thing because I wanted to learn how they had determined the number and sex of the people. For those that want to just look at the pics and not read the whole thing, I'll quote the begining summary. "About 4500 years ago, during the late Archaic period, nine explorers reconnoitered several passages within a cave in north central Tennessee. Although prehistoric cave exploration is not unusual in eastern North America, this trip was unique because 274 footprints of these ancient cavers are preserved in the damp floor sediment of a side passage. Analysis of the route taken by the explorers and their footprint trail significantly enhance our knowledge of prehistoric cave use in eastern North America." I found it really interesting because it makes my hobby of arrowhead hunting much more realistic, especially in the area where I live. ...Chuck

Prehistoric Footprints in Jaguar Cave.pdf

[sailorjoe]

Hi Chuck. That is interesting information and unknown to me before now. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[sailorjoe]

Hi Chuck. By chance does the entrance to this cave lie close to the Alvin York place and does the stream flowing out of the mouth run into Wolf River?

[Scorpion68]

You got it. You can see it from the road and there's always a cool breeze emanating from that entrance all the way out to the road.

[CoachG]

Lots and lots of caves in Pall Mall. I've been in Blowing Cave a time or 2 when I was a child. It's gated now of course. My mom lives just a couple miles away. Across the road from the cave are a few mounds that ETSU have excavated. Check this link out Chuck http://faculty.etsu.edu/franklij/ets..._school_10.htm

[Scorpion68]

Thanks for that link Coach. Lots going on in our neck of the woods. I'm gonna have to visit that Pickett Park Museum and see what they got.

[gregszybala]

I love finding information like this about my local area. Seems to help create a better idea of at least some points in time which increases that bond we have with those in the past.
Good share you two, thanks.

[sailorjoe]

Hi Chuck. Yes, I thought that could be the cave I was thinking of. I visited the mouth of that cave while on an unplanned drive in the area around Byrdstown during the summer of 1964. There was no gate to the entrance at that time and all those footprints had yet to be discovered. There was no York park area. In fact, Alvin York was still alive at the time though I believe he died not long after that summer. At the time there was a road not far from the entrance, gravel I think it was but can't be sure of that memory. But I distinctly remember that there was a big old dead snag of a tree with what looked to be the hole made by a large woodpecker 15 or 20 feet high and honey bees were flying in and out of that hole by the hundreds.

[Scorpion68]

That road is partially blacktopped back into the valley then goes back to gravel near the base of the mountain. They must have gated it shortly after 1964. That entrance that is shown in the article still looks the same from the road except for the gate.

[Hi-Lo]

That's a cool article Chuck. Thanks for sharing.

[Kyflintguy]

Very interesting Chuck! Thanks for sharing this!