Studies of the Appalachian Karst: 1770 – Present

The Appalachian region, extending from New England to Alabama, includes one of the most extensive regions of karst in the United States. It is a complex geologic terrain and has been studied for nearly 250 years. The history of karst study in the region is organized into eight frames of time: (1) Early American Notes and Records, (2) Age of Curiosity, (3) Exploration and Early Tourism, (4) Birth of Modern U.S. Speleology, (5) Landmark Speleogenetic Studies, (6) Organized Caving and Science, (7) Speleological Inflation, and (8) Applied and Environmental Science. Karst science has progressed from merely descriptive accounts to detailed scientific study. The beginnings of cave exploration, cave tourism, and development of organized speleology is rooted in this region. Environmental issues regarding karst in the Appalachians have intensified in recent decades, making the understanding of karst processes and historic perspective much more important