About the book
For generations, enterprising people in the southern Appalachians have turned the region’s extensive network of caves into a strange, fascinating genre of tourist attraction. Visitors pay admission to take a tour deep underground, learning a little about history and geology while puzzling over lit-up rock formations said to resemble anything from Niagara Falls to the Capitol dome. Then off go the lights, enveloping the travelers in total darkness — until the guide flips them back on and welcomes folks back into the safety of the inevitable gift shop. Show caves, as Douglas Reichert Powell explains in Endless Caverns, are at once predictable and astonishing, ancient and modern, eerie and sentimental. Their story sparks memories of a fleeting cool moment deep underground during a hot summer vacation, capturing in microcosm the history and culture of a region where a deeply rooted sense of place collides with constant change.
Reichert Powell takes readers along on his journey through the past and present of Appalachia’s show caves, highlighting the characters who have owned and operated them, the ways the attractions have developed and changed over the years, and the odd intrigue that still leads people to buy their ticket and head underground. Tourist tastes may shift as interstates whisk travelers past the backroads and on to trendier destinations, but the show cave — like Appalachia itself — endures.
Editions of Endless Caverns
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469638638
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469669434
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890885401
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890885418
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469669441
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469638645
Read an Excerpt
For generations, enterprising people in the southern Appalachians have turned the region’s extensive network of caves into a strange, fascinating genre of tourist attraction. Visitors pay admission to take a tour deep underground, learning a little about history and geology while puzzling over lit-up rock formations said to resemble anything from Niagara Falls to the Capitol dome. Then off go the lights, enveloping the travelers in total darkness — until the guide flips them back on and welcomes folks back into the safety of the inevitable gift shop. Show caves, as Douglas Reichert Powell explains in Endless Caverns, are at once predictable and astonishing, ancient and modern, eerie and sentimental. Their story sparks memories of a fleeting cool moment deep underground during a hot summer vacation, capturing in microcosm the history and culture of a region where a deeply rooted sense of place collides with constant change.
Reichert Powell takes readers along on his journey through the past and present of Appalachia’s show caves, highlighting the characters who have owned and operated them, the ways the attractions have developed and changed over the years, and the odd intrigue that still leads people to buy their ticket and head underground. Tourist tastes may shift as interstates whisk travelers past the backroads and on to trendier destinations, but the show cave — like Appalachia itself — endures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Endless Caverns about?
For generations, enterprising people in the southern Appalachians have turned the region’s extensive network of caves into a strange, fascinating genre of tourist attraction. Visitors pay admission to take a tour deep underground, learning a little about history and geology while puzzling over lit-up rock formations said to resemble anything from Niagara Falls to the Capitol dome. Then off go the lights, enveloping the travelers in total darkness — until the guide flips them back on and welcomes folks back into the safety of the inevitable gift shop. Show caves, as Douglas Reichert Powell explains in Endless Caverns, are at once predictable and astonishing, ancient and modern, eerie and sentimental. Their story sparks memories of a fleeting cool moment deep underground during a hot summer vacation, capturing in microcosm the history and culture of a region where a deeply rooted sense of place collides with constant change.
Reichert Powell takes readers along on his journey through the past and present of Appalachia’s show caves, highlighting the characters who have owned and operated them, the ways the attractions have developed and changed over the years, and the odd intrigue that still leads people to buy their ticket and head underground. Tourist tastes may shift as interstates whisk travelers past the backroads and on to trendier destinations, but the show cave — like Appalachia itself — endures.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Endless Caverns?
Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure > Travel and holiday > Travel and holiday guides > Travel guides: museums, historic sites, galleries etc
Where can I read a sample of Endless Caverns?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469638638
How long is Endless Caverns and how many pages does it have?
Endless Caverns has 232 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Endless Caverns?
Douglas Reichert Powell
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Endless Caverns is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469638638) and paperback(ISBN 9781469669434) and ebook(ISBN 9798890885401) and ebook(ISBN 9798890885418) and ebook(ISBN 9781469669441) and ebook(ISBN 9781469638645)
Where can I buy Endless Caverns online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Endless Caverns from below
Where can I buy Endless Caverns?