Larry E. Matthews

Larry E. Matthews was born in LaFollette, Tennessee on August 5, 1946, about 30 miles northwest of Knoxville. Larry grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and attended Vanderbilt University (BA '68, MS '71).

Larry was always interested in rocks, fossils, and minerals, even as a small child. Therefore, it was no surprise that he majored in Geology in college. Middle Tennessee is an especially cave-rich area and Larry began exploring caves while in High School. His first book, Descriptions of Tennessee Caves (1971) was published as a Bulletin of the Tennessee Division of Geology and is still in print today. It describes approximately 300 caves and gives a history of saltpeter mining in Tennessee during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. This year (2017) marks 46 years that this book has been In Print.

The First Edition of Cumberland Caverns was published by the National Speleological Society in 1989, and describes the history of Tennessee's second longest cave. This book was updated and a Second Edition was printed by the Greyhound Press in 2005. Larry's home was severely damaged by the Great Flood that hit Nashville on May 2, 2010. All remaining copies of the Second Edition of Cumberland Caverns were lost. A Third Edition, including 30 new photos, 14 in Full Color, was printed in September, 2010. It is available in both Softbound and Hardbound.

Other recent, In Print books on the history of Tennessee caves include:

Big Bone Cave, printed in 2006 by the National Speleological Society, 220 pages. This major paleontological, archaeological, and historical site is a State Natural Area located near Rock Island, TN.

Caves of Chattanooga, printed in 2007 by the National Speleological Society, 192 pages. This book describes nine (9) former and current commercial caves in the greater Chattanooga area.

Caves of Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains, printed in 2008 by the National Speleological Society, 296 pages. This book describes fourteen (14) former and current commercial caves in the greater Knoxville area.

Blue Spring Cave, which is the longest cave in Tennessee and the 9th longest cave in the United States, was printed in February, 2010 by the National Speleological Society. This project was a joint effort between Larry and his co-author Bill Walter. This massive book is 340 pages long and is well-illustrated with maps and photographs. Bill Walter is one of the most famous cave explorers alive in the United States today.

Dunbar Cave: The Showplace of the South, was printed in 2011 by the National Speleological Society and is 234 pages in length. This book describes the history of Dunbar Cave from prehistoric times, when Native Americans left enigmatic drawings on its walls, through its use by early pioneers, use as a major tourist attraction during the late 1800s through World War II, and today is a favorite Tennessee State Park. Many famous Dance Bands performed here during the Big Band Era.

Snail Shell Cave was printed in 2012 by the National Speleological Society and is 242 pages in length. This book, co-authored by Bob Biddix, describes the greater Snail Shell Cave system in Rutherford county, Tennessee. This is a very large stream cave and portions are only accessible to cave divers.

Caves of Grassy Cove was printed in 2014 by the National Speleological Society and is 286 pages long. Grassy Cove is the largest sinkhole in North America and all the water draining into Grassy Cove flow south for 7 miles to reappear as the headwaters of the Sequatchie River. This site was sacred to the American Indians and many drawings are found in nearby Devilstep Hollow Cave. Many large and interesting caves are described in this book.

Caves of Fall Creek Falls was printed in 2016 by the National Speleological Society and is 322 pages long. This is the first book in the series to have all color photographs. The area covered by the book is only 15 miles wide by 16 miles long, but already 1,184 caves have been explored here. It is a Caver's Paradise. And, most of it is public property and available to the general public.

Caves of the Highland Rim was printed in 2019 by the National Speleological Society and is 290 pages long. This book also has all color photographs and is Hardbound. It covers a topographic rise that roughly forms a circle around Nashville and exposes limestone perfect for the formation of caves.

Caves of the North Cumberland Plateau was printed by the National Speleological Society in 2021 and is 328 pages long. This book has all color photographs and is Hardbound. It covers the northern portion of the Cumberland Plateau Escarpment which is Fentress, Overton, and Pickett counties Tennessee. The book features photographs by Bob Biddix, but many other outstanding photographers are included.

Caves of the South Cumberland Plateau was printed by the National Speleological Society in 2023 and is 352 pages long. This book also has all color photographs and is Hardbound. It covers the southern portion of the Cumberland Plateau Escarpment which is Franklin, Grundy, and Marion Counties Tennessee. This book also features photographs by Bob Biddix, but many other outstanding photographers are included. The chapter on Nunley Mountain Cave features one of the largest and most interesting caves in Tennessee.

Work has begun on Caves of the Central Cumberland Plateau, which will feature caves of Putnam, Van Buren, Warren, and White Counties Tennessee. Completion is expected sometime in 2026.

All of these recent books are profusely illustrated with maps, old brochures, post cards, and photographs. They are easily read by the general public, but they are also heavily foot-noted, so that researchers can go to the original sources of the historical information.

Other books by Larry E. Matthews include:

Bibliography of Tennessee Speleology (4th Edition), published by the Tennessee Cave Survey in 1994. (420 pages)

Bibliography of Tennessee Speleology - Update to the 4th Edition, published by the Tennessee Cave Survey in 2001. (73 pages)

Springs of East Tennessee, published by the Tennessee Cave Survey in 2003. (110 pages)

Springs of Middle Tennessee, published by the Tennessee Cave Survey in 1997. (120 pages)

Springs of West Tennessee, published by the Tennessee Cave Survey in 2004. (45 pages)

These books are more suited for the serious researcher.

Larry is also the author of numerous magazine articles.