BlockFrom the record
One of 21 National Register listings published here for Hart County · listed in 2001 · category: District.
Sources: the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Horse Cave Historic District
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
The listing
- Address. KY 218, roughly bet. US 31W and Edwards Ave.,, Horse Cave, 42749
- When was it listed? August 2001
- Category. district
- Census division. Horse Cave
- National Register reference number. 01000796 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.
Fires near this property
9 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 9 fires within 5 miles of Horse Cave Historic District between 1999 and 2014, burning about 54 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/undetermined | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 2 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 1999 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 20 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 12 September 1999 | Recreation and ceremony | 20 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 24 August 2007 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 7 July 2012 | Misuse of fire by a minor | under an acre | Kentucky Division of Forestry | YODER FIRE |
| 28 March 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 28 February 2014 | Recreation and ceremony | 2.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | HARPER |
| 24 February 2004 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 7.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 25 November 2005 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
Mines and quarries near this property
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Horse Cave Historic District: 1 producer. All of them still produce. 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 | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse Cave Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer |
Storms near this property
40 since 1996Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Horse Cave, the town this property stands in, in 40 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 21 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 6 flash flood, 3 tornado. The reports record 6 injuries. 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 1996 | Tornado (F0) | Horse Cave | 5 hurt, $100,000 | no account filed |
| January 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | 1 hurt, $110,000 | 5 mobile homes destroyed, 20 barns destroyed, 31 homes damaged, roofs blown off warehouses, trees and power lines down |
| October 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | $1,500,000 | A large section of roof was blown off the Dart Plant building on U.S Highway 31W. Several tobacco barns and warehouses, and other industrial buildings suffered structural damage on east Main Street. |
| November 2000 | Tornado (F1) | Horse Cave | $30,000 | A porch roof and several attached columns were ripped off a house. A large pine tree was ripped apart and debris was spread in three directions. A barn was moved three feet away from its foundation, and one of its sides was caved in. |
| March 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | $25,000 | A tree was blown down on a house. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | $20,000 | Local broadcast media reported that severe thunderstorm winds tipped over a semi-truck on Interstate 65 near Horse Cave Kentucky. |
| June 2001 | Flash Flood | Horse Cave | $12,000 | Highway 218 was closed due to high water. Three cars had to be pulled from a low lying portion of Highway 218. |
| September 2017 | Flash Flood | Horse Cave | $10,000 | The Hart County Emergency Manager reported that a water rescue was performed in Horse Cave after a vehicle stalled out in flood waters. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Horse Cave | $10,000 | Hail broke windows and damaged vinyl siding on homes. Damage to vehicles was also reported. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | Quarter sized hail, with some slightly larger hailstones, was reported north of Cave City. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | A roof was blown off of a carport and power lines were blown down along U.S. Route 31W. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Strong winds caused minor structural damage to a building in Horse Cave. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Trees and power lines were down. |
| February 2021 | Flash Flood | Horse Cave | - | Highway 218 in Horse Cave became impassable due to flooding. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | A barn was significantly damaged. |
| December 2021 | Tornado (EF1) | Horse Cave | - | This tornado formed approximately 2.3 miles east of Rocky Hill near Goldenrod Lane and tracked northeast for approximately 1.1 miles before crossing into western Barren County. The tornado continued approximately 9 miles into Barren County before crossing into southern Hart County. The tornado traveled approximately 7 more miles into Hart County before dissipating near Red Buck Estes Road at approximately 0154 CST. In Hart County, the tornado continued along US 31W through downtown Horse Cave. Here the damage was rated EF1 with small roof damage, large limbs being snapped, and walls blown out of some older tobacco warehouses. Once reaching Dawson Knob the tornado weakened and likely converged with the supercell moving into Hardyville. Due to the knob terrain in this area, there are spots of weaker damage found, however on the down-sloping side, the tornado strengthened rapidly. This pattern was found twice in this damage path. |
| February 2021 | Flood | Horse Cave | - | There was flooding near the intersection of Highway 218 and 31 West. |
| May 2017 | Flash Flood | Horse Cave | - | Local law enforcement reported that Kentucky Highway 218 was blocked by high water west of US 31W. |
| May 2016 | Flash Flood | Horse Cave | - | Broadcast meteorologists relayed reports of people trapped in the Hidden River Cave System. Initial reports indicated that search and rescue teams were dispatched. |
| December 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | A storm survey confirmed widespread damage across southern Hart County east of Horse Cave consistent with straight line winds of 70 to 80 mph. A squall line moved across the area, flipping and destroying a single-wide mobile home just east of Horse Cave. Several barns were destroyed along Highway 218. Many trees were downed as well. On Bunnell Crossing Road near Pascal, a dairy silo was toppled and a barn was extensively damaged. Metal sheeting was removed from this barn and blown downwind for 400 yards. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | A county official reported that a tree fell near a truck stop on Old Dixie Highway. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Trees were blown down near Horse Cave. |
| February 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Ten inch in diameter tree limbs were blown down and winds were estimated up to 65 mph. |
| February 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Ten inch diameter tree limbs were blown down. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | A few trees were downed in the Wig Wam Road area. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Trees were downed. |
| January 2008 | Flash Flood | Horse Cave | - | Highway 218 was closed for a half hour by high water. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | Penny size hail was reported at exit 58 on Interstate 64. |
| April 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Trees were downed. |
| April 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Several trees were blown down. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Trees and power lines were downed. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | Trees were downed. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| April 2005 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| April 2005 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| November 2002 | Hail | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Horse Cave | - | no account filed |
Map coverage status
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Listed places nearby
6 within 8 milesOther National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henrytown Historic District | 0.3 miles | 2025 | |
 | Unknown Confederate Soldier Monument in Horse Cave | 1.5 miles | 1997 |
 | Col. Robert A. Smith Monument | 5.4 miles | 1997 |
| Battle of Munfordville Site | 5.6 miles | 1999 | |
 | Alvey Cox House | 6.3 miles | 1980 |
 | Munford Inn | 6.3 miles | 1984 |
Sources for this property
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 01000796 in Record Group 79. |
| Hart County | All 21 listed properties in this county. |
Provenance
- Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
- Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
- How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
- 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.