The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

It has been 90 years since January 30, 1925 that Floyd Collins entered Sand Cave near Mammoth Cave, KY where he died and became so famous. I talked the family into a trip to Mammoth Cave a few years ago so I could visit Sand Cave and do some research on the story. I was amazed at how many structures still exist there: his family home, the ticket booth for Crystal Cave which he discovered on his father's property and other buildings associated with this story.

I can't explain why I am so fascinated by this story made famous by the Vernon Dalhart record "The Death of Floyd Collins." I just know that I am. I wrote an article about it a few years ago for the Canadian Antique Phonograph Society newsletter.

Is anyone else interested in Floyd's story?
Dave D

The standard book (indeed, I think the only book length treatment) is "Trapped: The story of Floyd Collins" which is a good read. It even talks about the often recorded - and inaccurate - "Death of Floyd Collins" song.

Dave D wrote:Is anyone else interested in Floyd's story?Dave D

Yes. I am. I posted a video on my YouTube channel of a little background on the story as well as the Edison cylinder phonograph from my collection on which I am playing it. I had hoped by now that a PBS documentary would have been made and broadcast but nothing yet. Years ago when I was most interested in this story I sent a detailed letter to WGBH in Boston, producers of The American Experience which I consider the finest historical documentaries on the planet with the possible exception of the superb documentaries created by Ken Burns' team of historians. In the letter I provided a brief history of the incident as well as offering support to create the documentary. I received a letter of appreciation in return but as of today (five years later) there has been nothing televised that I am aware of on the subject with the exception of a brief reference to the incident in a National Geographic program about cave exploration. Here is my video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSC-l5FlCOA[/youtube]

Doug

I like the way Dalhart's disaster songs often end with a moral to the story. That does not happen in pop music anymore.

There was even a musical theatre piece based on the Floyd Collins story... I saw a student production of it at Bloomsburg University, just down the road a-piece, about 10 years ago.