In 1964 plans for a $5 million Space City USA theme park were announced to the public. Situated on 850 acres between Huntsville and Madison, the theme park would rival Disneyland in California. The grand opening was scheduled for 1966 and 1.2 million visitors were expected to visit annually.
With Space as the central focus, the park would boast a multitude of other themes to include Lost World, Land of Oz, Moon City, Old South, and Dead Man's Island. Space City USA advertised a Lunar Restaurant, working Volcano, 1800's Vintage Train Ride, Caveman ride, Dinosaur ride, Stern Wheeler and Glass Bottom Boat ride, Flying Saucer ride, Jet Car ride, Jack and the Beanstalk Slide, and a Carousel. 24 park rides in total would offer something for everyone.
Engineering and land grating began in early 1964. Iron works for the volcano, laying of a 36-gauge railroad track, and acquisition of a locomotive and rail cars followed shortly thereafter. The 1897 H.K. Porter Locomotive, named the 'Melodia B', arrived in June 1964. Everything looked great and the buzz was in the air about the theme park.
However, challenges developed and progress on the theme park began to stall. By early 1967, the park opening had been delayed again and it appeared financing had run out. A lawsuit by investors followed shortly thereafter and in October 1967 the decaying park was put on the auction block. By 1971, the building firm was bankrupt and no visible signs of the grand theme park remained.
Today, a few tell-tale artifacts remain of the defunct theme park. Space City USA was going to be centered around Lady Ann Lake in the Edgewater subdivision. Some of the elevated walking paths in the lake are actually the old railroad beds for the theme park. The theme park would have been bound by today's I-565, Zierdt Road, the lime quarry to the West, and Martin Road to the South. Next to the geocache site is a road that goes North-South. On maps, this road is named "Space Age Road" and would have been the main access from Highway 20 for site construction and probably the main entrance to the theme park. Next to the Edgewater clubhouse in the trees is an oddly shaped old sidewalk. This is remnants of the Caveman ride. Not much else remains. Please note Edgewater is a semi-private community and has No Trespassing signs posted.
Space City USA is the biggest thing that never happened in Huntsville-Madison. Information for this cache is primarily based on a couple of articles by the local newspaper in 2012.