 Once, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was apparently camped near Port Republic and allowed his soldiers to visit the caverns.From 1974 until October 2009 Grand Caverns was owned by the Upper Valley Regional Park Authority (UVRPA); they also claimed ownership of Natural Chimneys.In October 2009 Grand Caverns and its surrounding parks were given to the Town of Grottoes; the UVRPA has since dissolved.