As early as the mid-1800s, stories circulated about a cave hidden within the tufa stone where the Quapaw Bathhouse now stands. Native American tribes, including the Quapaw, were said to have utilized the mud holes and thermal springs for their healing properties. Despite extensive research since the 1880s, no such cave has ever been found. However, it’s well documented that the Quapaw tribe used this site for centuries, and other tribes, like the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Osage, also relied on the springs during their forced relocation along the Trail of Tears.

In the early 1920s, George Callahan, the first president of the Quapaw Bathhouse Company, constructed the current tufa stone dome over a thermal water outlet from the former Magnesia Spring. This spring boasts one of the highest mineral contents among the area’s springs, renowned for its therapeutic qualities. Callahan placed four figurines, purchased from a Navajo trader in Arizona, into the mineral-rich water. After they became coated in mineral deposits, he orchestrated a media event, proclaiming the discovery of the “Quapaw Gods of the Baths.”

The figurines were quickly identified as non-local artifacts, exposing Callahan’s publicity stunt. Ironically, the hoax brought fame to the Hopi potter, Nampayo, who created the figurines, significantly increasing the value of her work. Documented as authentic Nampayo pieces and sold to Callahan as “Nampayo Rain Gods” in 1922, the figurines remain in the possession of the Callahan family.