Cathedral Caverns State Park

Cathedral Caverns State Park
Alabama State Park
Country United States
State Alabama
County Marshall
Coordinates 34°34′24″N 86°13′20″W / 34.57333°N 86.22222°WCoordinates: 34°34′24″N 86°13′20″W / 34.57333°N 86.22222°W
Area 461 acres (187 ha) [1]
State purchase 1987
 - Park opened 2000
style=""color: #cde5b2"" | IUCN category III - Natural Monument
Location in Alabama
Website: Cathedral Caverns State Park
Designated June 1972

Cathedral Caverns State Park is an Alabama state park located in northern Marshall County, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of the town of Woodville. The cave is located in Kennamer Cove, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast of Grant. The cave, originally named Bats Cave, was first developed as a tourist attraction in the 1950s. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1972[2] and opened as a state park in 2000.

Description

Cathedral Cavern is a karst cave with a large stalagmite forest covering approximately 3 acres (1.2 ha).[3] The caverns are approximately 11,000+ feet (3,350 m+) surveyed and explored, with 8-foot-wide (2.4 m) concrete walkways that are wheelchair-accessible.[4] The public portion of the cave extends approximately 3,500 feet (1,100 m) and has some 2 miles (3.2 km) of paths; another 2,700 feet (820 m) extend beyond the end of the pathway.[3] Formerly inaccessible areas beyond the paved walkway are now open as part of the "Wild Cave Tour."[5]

The cave system has laid claim to several world records though their accuracy has been disputed.[6] Among the caverns' notable features are:

The Mystery River flows through the cavern. Due to limited outflow, the cave is subject to flooding after heavy rain.[3]

History

Archaeological excavations at the mouth of Cathedral Caverns have indicated occupation by Native Americans as recently as 200 years ago and perhaps as early as 7000 BCE.[3]

The area that includes the cavern was settled by the Kennamer family and became known as Kennamers Cove. During the Civil War, the Kennamer's farmhouse was burned down by Union soldiers, and the family lived in the cave for an extended period of time.

After being purchased by Jay Gurley, the cave was maintained as a tourist attraction from 1959 to 1974. The cave was sold at auction in 1975. The State of Alabama bought the cave in 1987 with the intent to reopen the site as a state park. After funding delays, restoration work began in 1995. In May 2000, the cavern was re-opened to the public.[1]

Activities and amenities

In addition to cave tours, the state park offers gem mining, picnicking, and tent camping.[7]

In popular culture

In 1983, principal photography for the horror film Secrets of the Phantom Caverns took place in the caverns.[8] In 1995, Cathedral Caverns provided the cave settings for the Disney Studios film Tom and Huck starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Tom Sawyer and Brad Renfro as Huckleberry Finn.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ress, Thomas V. "Cathedral Caverns State Park". The Encyclopedia of Alabama. Alabama Humanities Foundation. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Cathedral Caverns". National Natural Landmarks Program. National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-11-04.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Rainer, David (October 2008). "Cathedral Caverns Inspire Awe". Outdoor Alabama (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  4. ↑ "Cathedral Caverns". Alabama State Parks. May 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  5. ↑ Powell, Andy (March 24, 2011). "Cathedral Caverns". The Gadsden Times. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  6. ↑ Duckeck, Jochen. "Cathedral Caverns: Bat Cave". Show Caves of the World. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  7. ↑ "Cathedral Caverns State Park". Alabama State Parks. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  8. ↑ "Gas blame for illness, panic of set; Caves are being used to shoot sci-fi flick". Miami Herald. August 23, 1983. p. 3B. Retrieved July 19, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cathedral Caverns.