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Cave City, Kentucky

12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1935 and the latest in 1986. It stands in the Cave City census division. It lies in ZIP code area 42127. It lies near Huckleberry Knob. The Survey maps it on the Horse Cave quadrangle. 2,356 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 633 feet above sea level.

Cave City within Barren County

On record in Cave City

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 4 records

Population over time

2 figures

Cave City grew from 2,240 to 2,356 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20102,240
20202,356+116 (+5%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 12 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

8 of 15 photographs shown, 1940 to 2020

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Sign for the Cave Land Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Sign for the Cave Land Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Entrance to Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Entrance to Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
A fairly cute, rather than menacing, Triceratops at Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
A fairly cute, rather than menacing, Triceratops at Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Road leading into Cave City, Kentucky
Road leading into Cave City, Kentucky
Wolcott, Marion Post, 1940. Library of Congress
Sign at the oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, one of a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Sign at the oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, one of a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
A sign shaped like the name of the establishment it advertises, the Star Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
A sign shaped like the name of the establishment it advertises, the Star Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
The Guntown Souvenir Shack atop what the proprietor calls "Froggett's Guntown Mountain" in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
The Guntown Souvenir Shack atop what the proprietor calls "Froggett's Guntown Mountain" in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Every photograph of Barren County

Fires near this place

5 since 2001

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 5 fires within 5 miles of Cave City between 2001 and 2014, burning about 21 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Equipment and vehicle use1
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
19 April 2001Equipment and vehicle use15 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
28 March 2003Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
28 February 2014Recreation and ceremony2.0 acresKentucky Division of ForestryHARPER
25 November 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
12 November 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Barren County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Cave City: 1 past producer. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Pace QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer

Every working recorded in Barren County

Storms near this place

27 since 1996

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Cave City in 27 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 21 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 1 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
January 2008Thunderstorm WindCave City$250,000Thunderstorm winds blew down two walls at an apartment complex in the Cave City area. Winds blew the roof off a home in the Capitol Hill communitiy near Glasgow.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindCave City$60,000Straight line winds blew over a mobile home downed some large trees.
December 2013Thunderstorm WindCave City$50,000A storm survey confirmed widespread wind damage associated with a squall line around Cave City. Several businesses had signs blown down or damaged. A 60 foot tall Super 8 sign next to Interstate 65 was toppled. Trees and power lines were downed. A grocery store had structural damage, while several other businesses received roof damage. Wind damage was noted north of Cave City along US 31, where Alvey's Towing Recovery was damaged. Surveyors estimated straight line winds of between 65 and 70 mph.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindCave City$30,000The roof was ripped off the metal shop of an auto dealership on the south side of Cave City, and a barn was destroyed on the east side of town.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindCave City$25,000A barn was destroyed along Old Munfordville Road. Several trees were downed nearby.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindCave City$5,000Thunderstorm winds damaged the roofs of a trailer and a barn on Wilson Road southeast of Cave City.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindCave City-A tree was blown down at the intersection of Happy Valley Road and Old Happy Valley Road.
May 2024HailCave City-Up to golf ball sized hail was observed around Cave City.
May 2024HailCave City-Ping pong ball sized hail was observed in Cave City.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindCave City-Trees and power lines were blown down near Cave City.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindCave City-There were trees and power lines down in Cave City.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindCave City-One tree and multiple large branches fell down and caused slight siding damage to a trailer.
March 2016Thunderstorm WindCave City-Trees were reported down due to severe thunderstorm winds.
March 2016Thunderstorm WindCave City-The Barren County emergency manager reported trees down in northern Barren County near the Hart County line.
April 2012Thunderstorm WindCave City-A home's siding was damaged in Cave City. Several trees were downed nearby as well.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindCave City-The emergency manager reported that two trees fell across roads near Cave City.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindCave City-Local law enforcement reported a tree down on Mammoth Cave Street.
March 2011HailCave City-A spotter reported pea to nickel sized hail via eSpotter.
April 2011FloodCave City-The media relayed a report from a viewer of water covering the roadway at Duke St.
February 2009Thunderstorm WindCave City-Trees reported downed in Cave City.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindCave City-A spotter estimated a 70 mph wind gust.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindCave City-no account filed
April 2006HailCave City-no account filed
May 2006HailCave City-no account filed
May 2005Thunderstorm WindCave City-no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindCave City-no account filed
November 1996Thunderstorm WindCave City-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Barren County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Highland Springs3.7 miles22
Griderville4.9 miles13
Goodnight5.0 miles13
Bear Wallow5.4 miles11
Park City5.6 miles24
Stovall6.2 miles24
Carden6.9 miles13
Oil City7.3 miles13

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Cave CityAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2559676The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 489114. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.