Cathedral Caverns State Park

For other areas named Cathedral Caverns, see Cathedral Cavern (disambiguation).

Cathedral Caverns State Park
Protected area
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Marshall
Coordinates	34°34′24″N 86°13′20″W
Area	1.87 km2 (1 sq mi)
Founded	1987
IUCN category	III - Natural Monument

Cathedral Caverns State Park is located in northern Marshall County, Alabama, southeast of the town of Woodville. The cave is located in Kennamer Cove. The cave is also just 5 miles (8.0 km) from Grant. The cave was originally named Bats Cave. The cave was first developed as an attraction by Jay Gurley in the late 1950s. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in June 1972.

Description

The Cathedral Caverns entrance opening measures 128 feet (39.0 m) wide and 25 feet (7.6 m) high. The Caverns is approximately 11,000+ feet (3,350 m+) surveyed and explored cave with 8-foot-wide (2.4 m) concrete walkways that are wheelchair accessible.

Cathedral Cavern is a Karst cave and has a large stalagmite forest. The cave system holds four world records.

The cavern claims numerous notable features:

• the widest entrance of any commercial cave in the world - 25 feet (7.6 m) tall and 128 feet (39 m) wide.
• the largest column in the world. Goliath measures 45 feet (14 m) tall and 243 feet (74 m) in circumference.
• the largest flow stone wall which is 32 feet (9.8 m) tall and 135 feet (41 m) long.
• the most improbable formation in the world. A 3-inch-diameter (76 mm) stalagmite rises at a 45-degree angle from a rock formation to the cave ceiling 25 feet (7.6 m) above.
• a Big Room, which is 792 feet (241 m) long and 200 feet (61 m) wide.

The cave extends another 2,700 feet (820 m) past the current limit of the show caves. There is a crystal room that is now open to the public on a limited basis as part of the "Wild Cave Tour".

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

History

Mr. Gurley maintained the cave as a tourist attraction from 1959 to 1974. The cave was sold in 1975 at an auction. 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 actually began in 1995. In May 2000, the Cavern re-opened to the public.

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.

Archaeological excavations at the mouth of Cathedral Caverns have indicated occupation by Native Americans 2,000 years ago, and perhaps as early as 8000 BC.

External links

• Alabama State Parks - Cathedral Caverns
• Critical assessment of World Record Claims
• More Cave History