The Final Sink
Introduction
The Final Sink is McConnell Springs’
finale. Here the waters disappear into the
final sink, the cave-like formation to the
left. Other sinks in this area also accept
the waters of McConnell Springs as
described in the following narratives.
Having disappeared from view, the waters
of McConnell Springs proceed
underground for a distance of 1/3 of a mile
before reappearing at Preston's Cave, then
joining Wolf Run Creek, which empties into
the Town Branch of Elkhorn Creek.
This view of the water gap from the 1950s shows the dry laid stone abutments that anchored the gate.
Other features in this area included the small
quarry near the railroad right-of-way, which
probably furnished stone for buildings and
fences on the property. An enigma is
represented in the carefully laid stones, which
cross the creek bed slightly upstream of the
final sink. These stones are flanked on each
bank by dry laid stone abutments. This may be
the remnants of a dam used to impound water
for the gunpowder mill or a watergate allowing
the spring's water to pass while keeping
A recent photo of the stone abutments shows the strength of the dry-laid stone construction,
now nearly buried with dirt and vegetation.
livestock penned. Upstream from this feature,
on the opposite bank, archeologists discovered
the remains of a brick floored structure of
unknown purpose. Further studies will answer
some of the questions raised by these features
while generating even more questions.
McConnell Springs is surrounded by
residential and industrial development.
Despite its intensive agricultural and industrial
use over the past two hundred years, it remains
a haven for wildlife and those people who seek
relief from the built environment. As
Lexington continues to grow and its
population increases, places like McConnell
Springs will become even more essential to
maintaining a sustainable balance between the
natural and the man-made worlds.
The Final Sink
Physical Characteristics
Sinkholes - bowl-shaped depressions in the
land surface - develop over enlarging vertical
fissures, or cracks, in limestone bedrock, where
surface soil is gradually carried away. These
sinks are often small and scarcely noticeable,
but some are hundreds of feet wide and as
much as 50 feet deep. Groups of sinkholes
may be located close together, forming very
complex landforms.
Leaves frame a view of the Final Sink as the creek flows over the last shelf of rocks
before sinking underground on its way to Preston's Cave.
From the Blue Hole to here at the Final Sink,
we have traced the path of underground water
briefly exposed to our view through a window
in the earth. The sinks and rises of McConnell
Springs are only a small part of this
groundwater system. Eventually the water will
return to the sunlight nearly 2,000 feet west,
emerging from the low mouth of Preston's
Cave Spring and merging with the waters of
Wolf Run.
An exposed window like this, developed
in mid-course along an underground
stream, is one of many distinctive features
characterizing karst landscapes. Such
subterranean windows dot the Bluegrass, but
sinkholes and simple sinking streams are even
more common.
Although much of the water recharging a
spring simply infiltrates soil without leaving any
surface features, sinkholes also carry surface
water underground. Most sinkholes do not
have openings at the bottom; water collects in
the sink after a rain, then slowly seeps into the
underground fissures. Some sinkholes,
however, have openings or even deep shafts at
the bottom which lead directly to the
underground streams. In some cases, a surface
stream may be entirely swallowed by a sinkhole.
The source of water appearing in a springs
can be traced by placing dye in swallow holes
and sinkholes in the ground, and watching to
see where it reappears. Waters rising into the
Blue Hole and the Boils have been traced from
small swallow holes where water disappears
from Wolf Run Creek near Lafayette High
School more than 2.5 miles away. Dyes have
also been traced from a sinkhole near the
Campbell
House Inn and
from small
inlets on the
Red Mile
property.
Water from the Boils flows
into a very low cave at the
end of the Final Sink.
There are
probably a
number of other
sources in west
Lexington and
that is why we
must be careful
how we dispose
of trash and
toxic and
hazardous
materials so that
they do not
A strong afternoon sunlight highlights water and vegetation surrounding the narrow blackness of Preston's contaminate our
Cave, a low rock overhang where the stream from
McConnell Springs re-emerges from underground.
ground water.
You might also
consider what would happen if McConnell
Springs valley were filled in to provide more
level land for industrial development, as had
been proposed. Rainwater flowing through
the system would have no outlet at the springs
and would back up and flood the source areas.
Mistakes we have made in the past by filling in
sinkholes and conduits, and building
subdivisions and shopping centers on top of
them, have led to many present day storm
water flooding problems.
We also know that the water travels a
considerable distance underground because
water in the Blue Hole and Boils maintains a
constant temperature of around 56 degrees.
This allows a micro climate to develop around
the Blue Hole and Boils. They never freeze,
and if the water came from nearby or moved
rapidly through the underground system, it
would be much warmer in the summer and
colder in the winter.
A bright red ladybug rests on
the deep green leaf of a
garlic mustard plant
flowering beside the
Final Sink.
A karst drainage system such as McConnell
Springs is dynamic, constantly changing. New
sinkholes form where none were before,
springs dry up in one place and break out
elsewhere, and underground streams shift their
courses to parallel conduits or to conduits at
lower elevations. Most of the water in the
McConnell Springs system goes underground
through a large sink below the rock bluff, but
it is also disappearing at several other, lesser
sinks nearby. The locations of these secondary
sinking places migrate from time to time,
reflecting the eroded nature of the bedrock
surface that is invisible to us beneath a cover of
soil and vegetation. A major evolution in the
character of the Final Sink began to develop
shortly after the property was acquired. Part of
the soil bank, behind and to the right of the
main sinking point, collapsed and formed a
deep, vertical-walled shaft. This new sink began
to enlarge rapidly,
threatening some of
the trees overlooking
the sink. Measures
were taken to stop or
slow the erosion, but,
ultimately, the natural
processes of the
Springs will have the
Flowing strands of algae form an intrifinal say in the matter.
cate pattern underwater near the Final
Sink; the high nitrogen content of the
stream forms an excellent environment
for the growth of algae of this nature.
The Final Sink
Culture History
From this vantage point, you can look upstream
toward the Boils and the Blue Hole and imagine
yourself back in time. To your left on a level bench
overlooking the small stream, there once stood a
building, probably frame in construction, with a brick
floor. Artifacts from this building indicate that it was
probably part of the Trotter's gunpowder factory,
possibly their drying house. In 1835, the local
Lexington newspaper reported that two men working
for Thomas Smith, then the owner of the land, were
severely injured in an explosion resulting from
gunpowder residue in the building. One of the men
died from his injuries. Archaeological investigation of
this structure revealed evidence that it was destroyed
by fire.
Looking back toward the Boils, in 1953, one would
have seen another building whose origin and function
is something of a mystery. It appears to be some kind
of large structure like a barn but its location very near
the artesian head suggests that it may have had
a connection with the gunpowder mill.
But very little evidence remains to identify
it specifically.
Following is an archaelogical discussion of the brick
floor area, excerpt from The Culture History and
Archaeology of the McConnell Springs Natural and Historic
Site By Nancy O'Malley, University of Kentucky, 1996:
“...an earlier cultural feature was located on the east
side of a stone fence running south from the ridge
top down to the stream. This is the same fence that
had a frame water gap where it crossed the stream.
Selective clearing and limited investigation revealed
two parallel lines of stone foundations running northsouth. The foundations were very close to one
another, separated by only one foot. An area of brick
pavement was exposed on the west side of the
westernmost foundation. The brick was continuous
over an area exceeding 5 by 7 feet, except for a small
breach where no brick occurred. This breach could
have once held a support post, probably made of
Southern Elementary School students stand at the edge of the Final Sink; the tree limbs
on the steep slope are from an older tree that fell across the Sink a few years ago. As much
as is possible, natural events at McConnell Springs such as falling trees are left to follow
their natural course.
yellow poplar. Dark cultural midden was documented
above the foundation lines. Shovel probes excavated
to the west and east of the foundations indicated that
midden extended about 17 feet to the east but no
more than about five feet to the west. A lighter soil
zone containing some artifacts was encountered at a
depth of eight or nine inches in one area next to the
western foundation. A similar soil was excavated from
the small breach in the brick pavement, in which dark
midden extended to about six inches (approximately
15 cm). The lighter zone extended to approximately
12 inches (30 cm) below the surface of the brick.
Charred wood and burned clay were noted at the top
of the light zone but it was essentially devoid of
artifacts. A clay subsoil was encountered at the base of
the lighter zone.
“ Natural topography and rock outcrops served to
constrain the cultural feature to the relatively narrow
bench on which it was built. Natural rock outcropped
to the north about six feet from the northernmost
exposure of the foundation. The slope steepened to
the south, providing a topographic constraint in that
direction. A deep deposit of charred wood identified
as yellow poplar was excavated on the southern end of
the westernmost foundation line. Its complete
dimensions were not determined but charred wood
was encountered to at least 30-40 cm below surface.
“ ...Architectural artifacts include windowpane glass,
nails and brick fragments. In addition, the charred
wood samples collected from the feature may also be
from framing members of the structure. The
recovered nails include specimens that date from the
1790s as well as later nails dating from the late 1830s.
This variety of nails suggests that the building may
have been built by the Trotters, and possibly
refurbished by later owners. The lack of wire nails
suggests that the building had been demolished by
the late 19th century, probably by fire. The
windowpane fragments, although few in frequency,
indicate that the building had windows with thin glass
panes, reinforcing an early 19th century construction
date. However, the recovery of three thicker panes
may indicate some later window replacement or they
may represent something other than glass in windows
(for instance, mirror glass). The brick fragments are
probably displaced from the brick paved area
associated with the structure. However, there could
have been a brick chimney. The presence of some
type of chimney is suggested by the recovery of an
iron support that held a cooking pot in a fireplace.
“ Other artifacts collected included mostly a variety
of domestic artifacts. Animal bones, a metal drinking
cap, and a variety of serving/eating dishes, and
unrefined wares may be indicative of a residential use
of the building; however, the building could have
served other functions, or its function could have
changed through its history. It is premature to
speculate about a specific function for the building
on the present evidence. The presence of charred
wood in quantity, as well as evidence of burning on
other artifacts strongly suggests destruction by fire.
The date of building destruction or abandonment is
not known. The whiteware ceramics date after 1830;
the marked ironstone basal sherd was identified as the
product of John Ridgway & Company, a pottery firm
that operated between 1830 and 1841 when the firm
often included the pattern name in its marks. Flow
blue transferprinted wares began to be produced in
the 1840s. No artifacts dating very late in the 19th or
in the 20th century were recovered, suggesting that
the site was abandoned prior to perhaps 1880. The
datable domestic artifacts are suggestive of a possible
residential occupation after 1830 and prior to 1880 or
earlier. However, the structure very likely was built
earlier than 1830 possibly for another purpose.”
The Final Sink
Field Guide
Red Fox
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
(Vulpes fulva)
(Dendroica coronata)
• Prefers a
mixture of woodlands
and open areas,
wooded farmlands
being ideal.
• Like most warblers, prefers mature forests, mixed or
coniferous.
• Most common fox in Kentucky; very reclusive.
• Roughly the size of a small dog (body 22-25”,
tail 14-16”).
• Reddish-yellow fur, darker bushy tail tipped with
white, and black feet.
• Although technically a carnivore, the fox will eat
berries and other fruits in addition to a regular
diet of rabbits, mice and even insects.
• Small (5-6”) bird identified by contrasting black and yellow
markings; rump, crown, and sides of breast are bright
yellow, body drab bluish with black streaks.
• Winters in Kentucky but can also be seen during
migratory periods. Breeds primarily in
Canada and Alaska.
• Feeds primarily on insects.
• Warblers are most popular among bird
watchers due to the wide variety of
colorful species and thepatience required
to find these small birds.
• Usually dens underground on slopes with loose soil
Little Brown Bat
(Myotis lucifugus)
• Usually feeds along creeks, ponds, streams,
rivers, even roadways where insects
accumulate. Often attracted to
well lighted urban areas where
insects abound.
• Common throughout the state,
winters in large colonies in
our larger caves but
often summers in
buildings.
• Most bats are insectivorous,
including this one, which
eats only flying insects
found through
echolocation and
captured on the wing.
• An adult can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes a night,
making this a beneficial animal.
Northern Ringneck Snake
(Terrepene carolina)
• Small (10-15”) snake found in wooded areas abundant
with hiding places (rocks, stumps, etc.).
• Dark slender snake with a yellow ring around the neck just
below the head. Belly is either a uniform pale yellow or has a
row of small black dots down center.
• Scales are smooth (as opposed to keeled, with tiny rib in
each scale) and the anal plate is divided (as opposed to
single). The anal plate is the last scale
plate on the belly before
the anus.
• Diet of salamanders,
earthworms, smaller snakes
and frogs.
Northern Flicker
(Colaptes auratus)
• Large (12”) woodpecker common to open areas,
parks and gardens.
• Identified by contrasting colors brown back with dark bars and spots,
lighter colored breast with black spots,
distinctive black bib, yellow wing
linings, and red patch on nape
of neck.
• These birds, like all woodpeckers,
cling to trees and hammer into the
wood searching for insects; the flicker
will also feed on the ground.
• Call is a loud “flicker”.
• Woodpeckers nest in tree cavities,
particularly in dead standing trees.
These trees are often called “snags”
and wildlife managers recommend
leaving such trees as potential wildlife
habitat.
Ohio Buckeye
Winter Creeper
(Aesculus glabra)
(Euonymous sp.)
• Tree of well-drained,
moist sites.
• Common invasive
ground cover in
urban woodlots.
• Opposite,
palmately
compound
(radiating
from a single point)
leaves, with 5-7 leaflets.
• Bark has a distinctive
unpleasant odor.
• Fruit is a large seed
(buckeye) with a thick husk.
• Seed is collected for good luck.
• The buckeyes are among the first
trees to get their leaves in the spring and among the
first to lose them in autumn.
• Grows like ivy,
often completely
obscuring the
ground beneath.
• Opposite simple leaves
with serrate margins.
• Closely related to a popular landscaping plant, the
burning bush, this ground cover was probably
introduced for landscaping as an alternative to
grass, and escaped to natural areas.
• Very problematic in some areas where it smothers
all other forest understory plants.
Giant Cane
(Arundinaria gigantea)
• Once common plant of the bluegrass.
Black Walnut
(Juglans nigra)
• Tall (5-30”) grass with thick rigid
stems and lance-shaped leaves.
• Very common tree in many wooded sites; prefers
deep, well-drained soils. One of the most common
trees at McConnell Springs.
• Tall purplish grass
flower head appears
in April-May.
• Alternate, pinnately compound leaves (12-24”)
with 15-28 leaflets with a serrate margin.
• Forms dense canebreaks that can extend
for miles on end
• Inside twigs is chambered pinkish-brown pith.
• Bud scars look like a monkey’s face.
• Fruit is a large (3”) drupe; inside is the edible nut.
• Members of this family include hickories and pecans.
• All have distinctively
oily, pungent
chemical.
The Final Sink
Children at the Springs
Lexington 1775
Sliding in old jeans down a sloping dirt path. Making
paper by hand at a celebration of history, running down
a path, waving at the resident ducks, experimenting with
water and soil and plants. All these things are a part of
the experience at the Springs.
A part of being children.
Those of us beyond the age of splashing through
puddles just to see water fly, of gazing rapt at a mother
bird feeding her young, of climbing a pile of rocks
because they're there, can see the delight of childhood in
the faces of children at McConnell Springs. One of the
main focuses of the Friends of McConnell Springs is to
make the site an outdoor classroom for the children of
the Bluegrass, offering school tours and lesson plans
using the Springs to teach many subjects. It is a place to
touch, to experience, to engage the reality of nature in a
world where often nature is pushed to the side by manmade roads and buildings, jobs and time clocks.
Here are the faces of children at McConnell Springs the happy, the engaged, the joyously free. Take a
moment to appreciate the Springs as they do - and to
wave at the ducks or splash through a puddle.
Scientific experiments such as the
one being done by
the children here are an integral
part of the
learning experience at
McConnell Springs.
Two children pose with a Revolutionary War era
re-enactor at Founders Day.
A father and his two sons
take a few moments to enjoy
the pond area during a dry
period. The pond is seasonal, drying up in summer
months.
A boy gazes up at one of
the bur oaks to get the proper
perspective. His drawing was a
part of his elementary school
class trip to McConnell Springs.
A naturalist at McConnell Springs
shows an elementary school
student the imprints of shells
fossilized into limestone quarried
at the Springs.
Children gather to play games at the first
Founders Day celebration.
A girl focuses on making paper from shredded
fiber in water at Founders Day.