Mammoth Cave National Park | Untold to the Unforgettable | A Kentucky Original Series

You might say Jerry Bransford has a unique connection to the land he grew up on. Not only does he hold a special place for the woods and waters, towns and people of Kentucky’s cave country, but he’s also spent a lifetime exploring its depths underground at Mammoth Cave National Park - just as his enslaved relatives did generations before him.
Watch more of the #TravelKY series Untold to the Unforgettable: • Untold to the Unforget...
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Explore Kentucky's African American Heritage: www.unforgettableky.com/
Learn about Kentucky's history: www.kentuckytourism.com/ky-th...
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[@timpeace6093]

I am privileged to call Jerry a friend and fellow church member. He is the genuine article. He has a wonderful story to share and is blessed - that he can share it in the very place the actual events occurred.

[@virginiacrutcher3150]

Jerry is a very good friend of mine. We worked together and retired from Dow Corning. We both attend Severn's Valley Baptist Ch. I've been on a couple of his tours at Mammoth Cave. I call him the singing guide because he sang to us at the point in the cave. Should be in the choir, has a good voice.

[@junkname9983]

I just watched this at the Mammoth Cave park visitor center. What a touching story.

[@Ranger-vq1nh]

I’ve had the pleasure to guide with Ranger Branford at Mammoth Cave. He is one outstanding man!

[@Thrash230723]

He was our tour guide. When he told us all the stories of those slave men in the cave and really brought them to life in the cave and then revealed at the end his relation to them, it had a huge impact on me and my family. It was an absolute honor to walk the cave with that man. I’ve not met many men in my life like him.

[@fullplate100]

THIS... IS MY BLOOD BROTHER! Jerr ya done a fine job!! Bless ya!

[@user-rn1dk6dq5x]

Thanks for sharing your story, Jerry. I'll keep it with me and think about it next time I visit the cave.

[@JeffWilsonOK]

Very proud to call Jerry and Barbara friends of mine. I’m thankful for what he and his family has done and continues to do to keep telling this wonderful story.

[@susanhughes3852]

Fantastic guide and a wealth of information. Enjoyed hearing his personal family history and am glad he is keeping his family history alive at Mammoth Cave.

[@jasonmarshall3800]

Just had the honor to have this great man lead us on our cave tour today... He is almost 77, and you can feel the passion in his voice as he tells you about the history of the cave!!

[@liftedlegend710]

Wonder if you can actually find Agatha in this vast twisted cave system

[@harrysharp3838]

Was there on vacation in May and it was his story he told there that brought me here today. I'm better for hearing it.

[@prioritizeyourpriorities3447]

Amazing story. Thank you for sharing it.

[@DoingMyBestImpression]

We met Ranger Jerry this week at Mammoth Cave - what an amazing storyteller and Ranger. If you go to Mammoth, I highly suggest you take whatever tour he is leading that day. Thank you, Ranger Jerry and God Bless!

[@livefreeordie5513]

We were lucky enough to have ranger Jerry as our tour guide in 2019. The cave experience was much more amazing than I had imagined. The overall experience for my kids and my family was much greater because of the amazing personal oral history provided by ranger Jerry. The experience was even more poignant for us being that we had just visited Abraham Lincoln‘s home in Springfield the day before and then had the descendant of a freed slave share his personal experience of his family history on that property and showing us through the cave. I can’t thank ranger Jerry enough, both for his courage and service during the Vietnam war, but also for his dedication to preserve and pass on the history of the area he calls home. We came expecting a cave tour, but what we got was so much more than that. Thank you ranger Jerry. God bless you!!

[@emandsyd9821]

Met this wonderful man today, and took a photo with him!

[@sophielily2015]

Amazing 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@toddesters4571]

Love your story.

[@debbiesawmiller7074]

We were just there last week and I recognize this ranger. What a story! Thank you for sharing it.

[@spiritualswag3153]

THANK you for all u do, and all you have done. I PROUD OF YOU!

[@virginianatalie2879]

This is a wonderful story. Makes me want to visit someday.

[@doctordeath5519]

Their should be a part of. The cave system named after his family name They had a connection with the cave that few had . I would be honored to have known them back then I bet they could have shown me some secret places and Beautiful things that we have yet to discover .

[@forcesightknight]

It's being explored, but have any artifacts been found in there?