Event
Slavery, Survival, and Spelunking: A Soldier's American Journey
Fee:
Free.Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
Duration:
Type of Event
1:00 pm 2:00 pm CDT
Description
Camp Nelson National Monument (CANE) and Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA) will commemorate Juneteenth Day and the 160th Anniversary of Camp Nelson during a presentation of a special U.S. flag to the 12th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery [USCHA] (Reactivated) on Saturday, June 22 at 1 p.m. CDT at the Mammoth Cave outdoor amphitheater. The ceremony will pay tribute to African Americans soldiers, civilians, and refugees, who pursued freedom, equality, and the rights of citizenship.
One of the enlistees to the 12th USCHA was a man named William Garvin, who was born into slavery in southcentral Kentucky in 1847 or 1848. Garvin self-emancipated by enlisting in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 12th USCHA at Bowling Green on February 7, 1865. After the war, Garvin settled in Edmonson County, Kentucky and served as a cave guide and explorer at nearby Mammoth Cave. His famous discovery during his time at the cave was the maze-like passage known as Corkscrew which opened a variety of cave tour routes for visitors in the late 1800s.
The special commemoration event and flag presentation is free and open to the public. The Mammoth Cave outdoor amphitheater is located between the main hotel building and the camp store and is wheelchair accessible.
Location:
Mammoth Cave National Park
1 Mammoth Cave Pkwy
Mammoth Cave, KY 42259
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