The 1920s women’s club that shamed Iowa into saving its most vandalized caves

The Maquoketa Women’s Club Saves Iowa’s Vandalized Caves

By 1920, Iowa’s Maquoketa Caves were in bad shape.

For decades, folks had chipped away at the caves, taking home stalactites that took centuries to form. The site, first known as Morehead Caves, had been a hot spot for picnics and dances since the 1860s.

Then the Maquoketa Women’s Club stepped in. These local women bought 17 acres in 1921 to save what was left.

Soon after, the Iowa Conservation Commission got on board. The caves grew to 111 acres and became an official state park in 1933.

Today, you can walk the same paths where those bold women once fought to save Iowa’s natural wonder.

Native Americans Called These Caves Home For Thousands of Years

Native Americans lived in the Maquoketa Caves for thousands of years, leaving behind pottery, tools, and stone points. Iowa’s Woodlands people used these caves for winter shelter.

The Sauk and Meskwaki tribes held meetings in these underground rooms. People visited this cave system for 6,000 years, making it one of Iowa’s oldest used natural spots.

Hunters Joshua Bear and David Scott found the caves in the mid-1830s during a snowstorm.

Locals Turned Cave Floors Into Dance Halls

In the 1860s, folks called this place Morehead Caves or Burt’s Cave when it got popular for exploring, picnics, and parties.

Workers built a dance floor north of Natural Bridge in 1868, later adding a pavilion used until the 1920s. Dance Hall cave got its name from square dances held there.

Visitors came from as far as Davenport in “top buggies,” staying overnight in Maquoketa because the trip took so long.

Souvenir Hunters Stripped The Caves Bare

By the early 1900s, the caves suffered major damage from tourism and vandalism.

Visitors broke off stalactites and stalagmites that took centuries to form, taking them home as souvenirs.

The Iowa Conservation Commission wrote in 1937 that “Souvenir hunters have robbed the caves of their rarest beauty.”
Trophy seekers destroyed most of the white formations that once hung from ceilings and rose from floors.

State Officials Noticed The Destruction

Newspaper reports from December 1920 show the Iowa Conservation Commission wanted to protect the damaged site. Officials checked the area while the Federated Women’s Club of Maquoketa pushed for protection.

Iowa created its Twenty-Five Year Conservation Plan in 1933 under Jay “Ding” Darling.

The Iowa Academy of Science, Iowa Conservation Association, and Iowa Federation of Women’s Clubs worked together to save this natural wonder.

Women Stepped Up When Nobody Else Would

The Maquoketa Women’s Club bought the first park land in 1921 to create a state park.

These women from the Iowa Federation of Women’s Club got about 17 acres, including most caves and the natural land bridge. This marked the first time regular people bought damaged land to create state park protection.

The Iowa Federation of Women’s Clubs stood out as one of the main groups pushing for Iowa’s state park system.

Prison Labor Cleared The First Trails

By 1924, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported the state owned the land and started work at the site. Workers from Anamosa State Prison cleared paths starting with Dance Hall Cave while building roads and trails.

The Maquoketa Kiwanis Club helped place safety rails in the park.

People first called it Morehead Caves State Park, but officials changed the name to Maquoketa Caves in 1928 to better match its location.

The Park Grew Beyond Its Original Boundaries

Land buys in 1931 grew the protected area beyond the original 17 acres the women had gotten. Local towns raised money to help develop the park during the early 1930s.

The protected area grew to 111 acres, covering the full cave system and surrounding natural areas. Conservation efforts started in the 1920s when private groups began buying land to save the caves.

Governor Herring Made It Official In 1933

Crowds gathered under fall leaves on Friday, October 13, 1933, to celebrate the opening of Maquoketa Caves State Park. Governor Clyde Herring came to the ceremony to accept the park for Iowa.

The 111-acre area became an official state park that day, making real the vision the women’s clubs pushed for over a decade.

Frank Ellis led the dedication committee, along with local leaders who moved the conservation effort forward.

New Deal Workers Built Park Facilities

The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration built most park facilities from 1932 to 1939.

These workers built the stone lodge, Dancehall Cave walkway, stone picnic circle, and hexagonal picnic shelters. The Central Design Office in Ames created these structures in the Rustic style.

Iowa got CCC camps early because it already had its conservation plan ready, putting it ahead of other states.

Electric Lights Made The Caves Safer For Everyone

CCC projects included three overlook shelters, entrance gates, a caretaker’s house, shelter with snack area, and two stone bathrooms.

Workers put electric lights in caves and built walkways so visitors could explore safely. State Landscape Architect John Fitzsimmons designed the caretaker’s house using local materials.

The Dancehall Cave walkway became the most important CCC project, letting thousands of future visitors safely access the park’s largest cave.

The Women’s Vision Lives On A Century Later

The park has grown to 370 acres through additional land purchases, becoming Iowa’s most cave-rich state park. In 1991, 111 acres on the east side joined the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.

The women’s club conservation movement at Maquoketa became part of Iowa’s century-long legacy of stewardship from 1920-2020.

Iowa led the way in the state park movement thanks to these pioneering women, even hosting the first National Conference on State Parks in 1921 while their work at Maquoketa was just beginning.

Visiting Maquoketa Caves State Park, Iowa

Maquoketa Caves State Park at 9688 Caves Road preserves the legacy of Iowa’s women conservationists who saved these caves from vandalism in 1921.

The caves close November 15 to April 1 for bat hibernation, so plan accordingly. Bring a flashlight and waterproof shoes for cave exploration.

You’ll need to complete a White Nose Syndrome awareness program before entering.

The interpretive center opens weekends during summer with exhibits about the park’s conservation history and geology.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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