Newsome Sinks Karst Area
Newsome Sinks Karst Area is a privately owned karst formation in Morgan County, Alabama. It was listed as a National Natural Landmark in November 1973. Description. The valley was named for William Newsome who settled in the area in 1838. It is approximately long and up to wide. The NNL covers , but the total karst area is around . There are more than forty caves in the region extending almost and up to deep. The land is part of the Cotaco Creek watershed. The underlying rock is Bangor Limestone formed in the Mississippian Age. There are over  15 rare species in the area, such as the southern cavefish, gray bat, Indiana bat, American Hart's-tongue fern and Tennessee bladderfern. During the American Civil War, saltpeter was mined to make gunpowder here, and the Confederates had a leather tanning operation until it was destroyed by Union forces.