▁made ▁of ▁stone ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁c aves ▁and ▁surrounding ▁area . ▁These ▁discover ies ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁Ma qu ok eta ▁C aves ▁area ▁has ▁been ▁of ▁interest ▁to ▁humans ▁for ▁hundreds , ▁perhaps ▁thousands , ▁of ▁years . ▁Early ▁recorded ▁history ▁tells ▁that ▁the ▁Native ▁Americans ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁were ▁likely ▁visitors ▁to ▁the ▁R acco on ▁Creek ▁valle ys . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Euro - American ▁expl or ers ▁first ▁visited ▁the ▁c aves ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 3 0 s . ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁originally ▁known ▁as ▁More head ▁C aves ▁or ▁B urt ' s ▁C ave . ▁ ▁It ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁popular ▁place ▁for ▁expl oration , ▁pic n ics , ▁parties , ▁and ▁d ances ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s . ▁ ▁A ▁dance ▁floor ▁was ▁constructed ▁north ▁of ▁Natural ▁Bridge ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁and ▁a ▁pav il ion , ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁was ▁built ▁som etime ▁later . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁turn ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁the ▁area ▁had ▁become ▁seriously ▁de grad ed , ▁and ▁its ▁popular ity ▁decl ined . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁park ▁land ▁was ▁purchased ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁by ▁the ▁Ma qu ok eta ▁Women ' s ▁Club ▁for ▁the ▁purposes ▁of ▁establish ing ▁a ▁state ▁park . ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁called ▁More head ▁C aves ▁State ▁Park , ▁its ▁name