Kamper Re-visited Concert (Program)

One hundred years ago, a young German engineer named Max Kämper, came as a visitor to Mammoth Cave. He became so enchanted with the cavern he obtained permission to map the vast system. For the next eight months Max, along with assistance from cave guide Ed Bishop, meticulously put together a highly detailed and accurate map revealing more of the cave than ever before. He probably never realized his work would be admired by generations to follow. Some admire its artistic expression of the cave. Others see beauty in its precision. Ultimately, it has become the iconic map for generations of future explorers, preserving the history of place names and cave features as well as the lives of individuals for whom various areas were named. On the warm summer evening of Monday, July 13, 1908, Max took a break from his cartographic masterpiece. Hotel manager Marty Charlet gave a porch party for guests. The Glasgow Daily Times reported, “The piano was moved onto the spacious porch of the hotel, and Mr. Max K[ä]mper, of Berlin, Germany, delighted the crowd with some excellent music on the violin accompanied by Miss Mayme Depp of this place.