Great Saltpetre Cave

During the War of 1812, it served as an important source of saltpeter, a vital component of gunpowder Also known as black powder.

[2]: 387  A stream ran through the cave, and was wide enough so that oxcarts could be used to bring the saltpeter above ground.

[3]: 36 At the cave, calcium nitrate, also called niter, is leached from dry soil.

When Doctor Samuel Brown, a Transylvania University professor of anatomy, chemistry, and surgery, gave in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 the first scientific description of Kentucky's saltpeter production, he drew mainly from the experiences of the Great Saltpetre Cave.

[5] Today the cave is owned by the Rockcastle Karst Conservancy, as part of the 300-acre (1.2 km2) Great Saltpetre Preserve, off Kentucky State Route 1004.

Entrance gate into the Great Saltpetre Cave
A sign inside
Display of stills and equipment