Significant Dates

Lehman Caves Geological Dates

  • 550 million years ago the Pole Canyon limestone was deposited.
  • 160 million years ago metamorphism of limestone occurred.
  • 20 million years ago the Snake Mountain range was formed (uplifted).
  • 5 million years ago Lehman Caves begins to form.

Archeological dates

  • 10,000 years ago is the estimated date that Native American settled the Great Basin area.
  • 1,000 years ago Pueblo cultures inhabited the area probably forcing out the Fremont culture.
  • 800 years ago human remains were deposited in the natural entrance of the cave.

Historical dates

  • 1826-Jedediah Smith crosses Snake Range at Sacramento Pass.
  • 1843-1844-John Fremont passes through eastern Nevada.
  • 1859- Mormons establish a settlement in Snake Valley.
  • 1871-Gold discovered at Osceola.
  • 1873-1877-Osceola at its mining peak.
  • 1885-Ab Lehman discovers cave in the spring and had installed ladders and stairs throughout the cave by the fall, tours begin. (Discovery date is questionable.)
  • 1891-Ab Lehman dies in Salt Lake City, October 11.
  • 1892-C. W. Rowland buys Lehman's ranch.
  • 1909 -Nevada Forest Service established in the area surrounding the cave.
  • 1912-The cave is added to the Forest Service.
  • 1920-Clarence Rhodes takes control of the management of the cave.
  • 1922- President Harding proclaims Lehman Caves a National Monument. Rhodes continues operation of the cave for the National Forest Service.
  • 1933-Lehman Caves National Monument is transferred to the National Park Service jurisdiction on June 10th.
  • 1937-Entrance tunnel was started and finished in 1939.
  • 1941-Electric lights installed in the cave.
  • 1963-New Visitor Center/Administration/Café Building is dedicated.
  • 1970-Exit tunnel was completed.
  • 1974-Concrete trails installed in cave.
  • 1981-Talus Room was deleted from the regular tour route.
  • 1986-Great Basin National Park is established and Lehman Caves National Monument is incorporated into the Park on October 27th.
  • 1997-Algae is cleaned from the cave.
August 6, 2002
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