Name: Smelly cave used as towns sewer transforms into tourist destination
Uploaded: 2025-11-05T01:58:30.767Z
Duration: 2 min 36 s
Description: The comeback story of Horse Cave, Kentucky, begins far below its streets in the Hidden River Cave that was used as a waste dump for decades.

The comeback story of Horse Cave, Kentucky, begins far below its streets in the Hidden River Cave that was used as a waste dump for decades.

Horse Cave

Horse Cave, Kentucky, underwent a significant transformation after decades of using its underground river cave as a sewer and waste dump. Persistent efforts by local leaders and the American Cave Conservation Association led to the implementation of a modern sewer system, despite initial resistance from residents concerned about rising costs.

The cleanup, which spanned over 40 years, enabled the opening of 10 miles of cave passageways, including the world's longest suspension bridge inside a cave. The revitalized site now attracts tens of thousands of tourists annually and has spurred economic growth, including the opening of new factories and the creation of thousands of jobs.

Smelly cave used as town's sewer transforms into tourist destination

I On America travels the country in search of stories of interest, we hope, to all of you. That quest took Dave Malkoff to a Kentucky town that's undergone a renaissance, a town named for a cave. The comeback story of Horse Cave, Kentucky begins far below its streets. This is right under Main Street. In this hidden river cave, for decades the place wasn't a wonder. It was a waste dump. Everybody was sick of the smell. Former Mayor Sandra Wilson remembers when the cave was part of the sewer system. And yet, surprising as it may seem, her desire to modernize the infrastructure here and clean up the cave was met with fierce resistance. We had a lot of people who were wary of rising sewer prices. The goal was to create the sewer system to clean up the mess, period. We smelled this horrible odor coming out of the entrance. While the people in town fought over sewers, David Foster of the American Cave Conservation Association had a solution, convincing the people of Horse Cave to enact new sewer fees to pay for the cleanup. It happened over 40 years. It wasn't an overnight success story. Today, 10 miles of passageways are open to visitors. The most unique stretch is also the shakiest part. The longest suspension bridge in the world inside a cave. Building the stairs, the trails, the museum cost an additional $6 million, which came from donations. But the investment paid off. Last year, 30,000 visitors came to this town of just 3,000. We draw people off the interstate that is very close by to come here, and everybody loves a tour. Are we ready for a cave tour? You drove up here? Yeah. From North Georgia? Yeah. You didn't smell anything down there? No, no. It was gorgeous. Everyone should come here. Putting in a modern sewer system allowed the town to open up that cave, but it also allowed these modern factories to open. There are three of them around town, attracting nearly 3,000 new workers. What is one thing that you learned inside this cave that you could teach to other people around the country? Oh my gosh, I think it would be… Watch your head. Probably patience and determination. Without those two virtues, the town's biggest stink never would have become its biggest treasure. For Eye on America, I'm Dave Malkoff in Horse Cave, Kentucky.

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