Near Mammoth Cave in Edmonson County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Hearth and Home

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 6, 2012

1. Hearth and Home Marker

Inscription.
Although the house is gone, the stone hearth remains – a silent reminder of the home that once stood here. It is not difficult to imagine a family enjoying the warmth of their fire as the steam engine of the Mammoth Cave Railroad rattled by. The Hawkinses were well-known members of this small hill-country community that included the Locust Grove Methodist Episcopal Church and the one-room Age School.

At the time of its construction in 1886 the Mammoth Cave Railroad passed along the many farms between what is now Park City and the line’s terminus at Mammoth Cave. A remnant of a stone wall, cemetery plots, or maybe a cluster of daffodils in the spring all bear witness to the people for whom the steam whistle of the Mammoth Cave Railroad was a familiar part of their daily routine. Look closely along your journey today for more signs of their presence.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.

Location. 37° 8.287′ N, 86° 4.381′ W. Marker is near Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, in Edmonson County. Marker can be reached from Mammoth Cave Parkway (

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Kentucky Route 70) 0.6 miles west of Kentucky Route 255. Marker is within Mammoth Cave National park, along the Mammoth Cave Railroad Trail. This 9-mile bicycle and hiking recreational trail follows the old Mammoth Cave Railroad bed. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mammoth Cave KY 42259, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Union City: Cave Crossroads (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Locust Grove Cemetery (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Forest Returns (approx. 1.2 miles away); Diamond Caverns (approx. 1.6 miles away); a different marker also named Diamond Caverns (approx. 1.6 miles away); Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail (approx. 1.6 miles away); Sand Cave (approx. 1.8 miles away); The Trestle and the Highway (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mammoth Cave.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. The Mammoth Cave Railroad (1886-1931)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 6, 2012

2. Hearth and Home Marker

View across the top of the marker, looking toward the subject stone hearth remains in the distant background.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 6, 2012

3. Hearth and Home Marker

Close-up view of the subject stone hearth remains.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 521 times since then and 12 times this year. Last updated on December 1, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 29, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.