This Alabama tourist attraction changed its name. Did you notice?

The transfer didn’t include far-reaching fanfare, however one in every of Alabama’s best-known pure vacationer points of interest rebranded this month, full with a brand new title.

On the lookout for DeSoto Caverns? Overlook it. The title and the pleasant conquistador mascot have gone away. When you like the concept of going to Childersburg and descending right into a spectacular cave the place the typical year-round temperature is round 60 levels, Majestic Caverns is the place you’re searching for.

It’s not onerous to determine some components that may have encourage the change. There have been folks on the scene who had been accustomed to it lengthy earlier than Hernando de Soto “found” it in 1540, and the cave’s cartoon mascot was at odds with the affect de Soto and different newcomers had on them.

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Nevertheless, operators of the privately-held attraction mentioned that they had causes of their very own. In a weblog submit, they described the title as “an issue we have now wanted to unravel for some time” and {that a} change was wanted “for a lot of vital causes.” The brand new title was trademarked 5 years in the past.

“Our firm’s focus is to ‘attain hearts,’” they mentioned in a weblog submit at majesticcaverns.com. “As Christian enterprise house owners, we have now needed to honor folks in addition to steward the land God has given us. Part of stewardship includes selecting a reputation that honors God and factors to His superb creativity on this lovely underground surprise. And we additionally need to honor and respect people who go to our cave, giving them an expertise that reaches their hearts.

“Contemplating all of this, we knew that this story-housing magnificent setting wanted a reputation that will span the ages of its historical past in addition to replicate the surprise and awe that people expertise as they step into its breathtaking foremost room,” the assertion continues. “… As the primary cavern on document in america, DeSoto Caverns’ historic footprint is one steeped in wealthy historical past and has attracted lots of of hundreds of tourists to the world for many years. As thrilling new accolades have been given to the cave, together with DeSoto Caverns being named ‘one of many high caves to go to in america,’ we felt it was time to rename it one thing that higher depicts the physicality of the caverns, the expertise guests have/can count on to have and one thing that will resonate with nationwide and worldwide audiences.”

The brand new title opens the most recent chapter in an extended story. It has been the positioning of saltpeter and onyx mining operations and was used as a speakeasy within the Prohibition period. Ida Mathis, one of many companions in a failed 1910 onyx-mining enterprise, consolidated possession of the property and her descendants personal it to this present day. Previous to 1975, when it was opened as a vacationer attraction below the DeSoto Caverns title, it was often called Kymulga Cave.

As earlier than, the positioning provides a spread of out of doors points of interest together with “a maze, gem panning, crystal discover, wacky water golf, archery” and a campground. It’s open Thursday-Monday.

Ticketing choices will be discovered at majesticcaverns.com/park-offerings. A ticket protecting the cavern tour and leisure is $29.98; all-inclusive passes with limitless entry to points of interest are $49.98 for adults, with $3 reductions for youngsters and seniors.

The cave is at 5181 DeSoto Caverns Parkway in Childersburg, about 35 miles southeast of Birmingham.