The move didn’t come with far-reaching fanfare, but one of Alabama’s best-known natural tourist attractions rebranded this month, complete with a new name.
Looking for DeSoto Caverns? Forget it. The name and the friendly conquistador mascot have gone away. If you like the idea of going to Childersburg and descending into a spectacular cave where the average year-round temperature is around 60 degrees, Majestic Caverns is the place you’re looking for.
It’s not hard to figure some factors that might have motivate the change. There were people on the scene who were familiar with it long before Hernando de Soto “discovered” it in 1540, and the cave’s cartoon mascot was at odds with the impact de Soto and other newcomers had on them.
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However, operators of the privately-held attraction said they had reasons of their own. In a blog post, they described the name as “a problem we have needed to solve for a while” and that a change was needed “for many significant reasons.” The new name was trademarked five years ago.
“Our company’s focus is to ‘reach hearts,’” they said in a blog post at majesticcaverns.com. “As Christian business owners, we have wanted to honor people as well as steward the land God has given us. A part of stewardship involves choosing a name that honors God and points to His amazing creativity in this beautiful underground wonder. And we also want to honor and respect those that visit our cave, giving them an experience that reaches their hearts.
“Considering all of this, we knew that this story-housing magnificent setting needed a name that would span the ages of its history as well as reflect the wonder and awe that individuals experience as they step into its breathtaking main room,” the statement continues. “… As the first cavern on record in the United States, DeSoto Caverns’ historical footprint is one steeped in rich history and has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area for decades. As exciting new accolades have been given to the cave, including DeSoto Caverns being named ‘one of the top caves to visit in the United States,’ we felt it was time to rename it something that better depicts the physicality of the caverns, the experience visitors have/can expect to have and something that would resonate with national and international audiences.”
The new name opens the latest chapter in a long story. It has been the site of saltpeter and onyx mining operations and was used as a speakeasy in the Prohibition era. Ida Mathis, one of the partners in a failed 1910 onyx-mining venture, consolidated ownership of the property and her descendants own it to this day. Prior to 1975, when it was opened as a tourist attraction under the DeSoto Caverns name, it was known as Kymulga Cave.
As before, the site offers a range of outside attractions including “a maze, gem panning, crystal find, wacky water golf, archery” and a campground. It is open Thursday-Monday.
Ticketing options can be found at majesticcaverns.com/park-offerings. A ticket covering the cavern tour and entertainment is $29.98; all-inclusive passes with unlimited access to attractions are $49.98 for adults, with $3 discounts for children and seniors.
The cave is at 5181 DeSoto Caverns Parkway in Childersburg, about 35 miles southeast of Birmingham.
