CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – It was a busy, labor intensive, and even a historic weekend recently for Senior Girl Scout Troop 2434 and their supporters as they spent most of two days building a boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave.

The new boardwalk was built around 800 feet from the mouth of the cave and extends more than 100 feet, covering the cave floor. Right now, you are probably asking yourself, why the girl scouts took on such a demanding project.

Dunbar Cave State Park Rangers inside the Cave as work goes on by volunteers building a boardwalk across the cave floor to protect archeological artifacts Apr 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
The mouth of Dunbar Cave where volunteers are working on a boardwalk to protect archeological artifacts inside the cave on Apr.24 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk outside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers who worked on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 25, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Volunteers work on the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built to protect the archeological artifacts on the floor of the cave on Apr. 24, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Girl Scout Troop 2434. L to Right, Selia Oliver, Zoe Pigott, Kendal Baynham, Layla Starmack, Erin Starmack, and Troop 2434 Leader Dorothy Baynham, standing at the entrance to the boardwalk inside Dunbar Cave, built by the scouts with help from volunteers and support of the community Apr. 25 (2021). (Lee Erwin)
Gir Scouts of Troop 2434 stand on the boardwalk built inside Dunbar Cave to protect archeological artifacts buried beneath the platform Apr 25 2021. (Lee Erwin)

Dunbar Cave State Park Manager, Ranger David Britton, explained the importance of the project and what it means to help protect archeological artifacts inside the cave.

“This girl scout troop is helping to build a boardwalk inside of the room of Dunbar Cave that contains the Mississippian Native American Artwork that’s viewable on our public tour. This artwork is about 800 years old,” Britton said.

Britton added that there are archeological deposits in the floor beneath the cave artwork and as they were taking tour groups through the cave each year the cave floor was beginning to erode. “In a non-COVID environment we take 7,000 to 8,000 people through the cave in a summer,” Britton said.

Dunbar Cave is the only site in the world where visitors can view prehistoric artwork from Mississippian culture. Jan Simek, State Archeologist with the University of Tennessee, said that artifacts have been found in the cave dating all the way back to the ice age. It’s one of the richest archeological sites in eastern North America.

The troop approached Britton around three years ago wanting to do a project at the park. He proposed the boardwalk, which meets the mission of Dunbar Cave State Park and helps protect the resources of the park. Britton said the structure was something that officials involved with the park had been discussing for quite a while.

The Girl Scouts, aided by more than 30 volunteers, which included some family members, and volunteers from the community, helped unload and carry the lumber for the construction from outside the cave down the dimly lit, winding, and muddy, path to the work site.

The girls also helped set and hold the boards as they were put in place for the platform, the railings, and the ramps, along with operating tools like nail guns and other equipment needed for the work.

There were a lot of community partners and volunteers that shared their support for the project such as Adams Oldcastle, Crabbe Construction, Clarksville Rotary Club, Knight Lumber, Lowe’s on Lowe’s Drive, and Rossview school of construction.

“The troop is relieved that they were able to complete this project and keep the commitment to the park. It was a huge undertaking that at times seemed impossible. We’re all just thankful that we live in a community that still has people that are willing to help preserve our natural resources. This was truly a project led by Girl Scouts for the greater good of Dunbar Cave and Clarksville,” Troop Leader, Dorothy Baynham said.

Registration is now underway for tours of Dunbar Cave which begin May 1. Tours are approximately one-hour in length and are held four times each day, seven days a week, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.  To register for a tour or for more details visit tnstateparks.com/dunbar-cave, or call 931-648-5526.