Stephen Bishop | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Stephen_Bishop.jpg) Drawing of Stephen Bishop (published in 1880s, not from life) | |
| Born | c. 1821 |
| Died | 1857 (aged 35–36) |
| Known for | Exploration and mapping of Mammoth Cave |
Stephen Bishop (c. 1821 – 1857) was an American cave explorer and self-taught geologist known for being one of the first people to explore and map Mammoth Cave in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Mammoth Cave is regarded as the longest cave system in the world and Bishop's map of the cave, hand-drawn from memory off-site in 1842, was included in a book published in 1844. It was regarded as the authoritative map of the cave system for over four decades. Bishop was enslaved and worked as a guide at Mammoth for approximately 19 years. He was freed by manumission the year before his death.