The first park land was purchased in 1921 by the Maquoketa Women's Club for the purposes of establishing a state park. Originally called Morehead Caves State Park, its name was changed to Maquoketa Caves in 1928. Additional land was acquired in 1931. The majority of the park facilities were constructed from 1932 to 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Both programs resulted from the federal government effort to make work for Americans during the Great Depression. Their work makes up the contributing properties of the historic district. They include three CCC overlook shelters, the entrance portals, the custodian's residence, the shelterhouse/concession building, the stone picnic circle, and two stone latrines. The noncontributing structures in the park include the CCC/WPA cave improvements, the CCC/WPA trail system, the park ranger's residence, a picnic shelter, and two wood-frame latrines. State Landscape Architect John Fitzsimmons designed the custodian's residence. It and the other historic structures designed by the Central Design Office in Ames, Iowa were built in the Rustic style, which was promulgated by the National Park Service in the 1930s as being appropriate for parks.