Absalom Lehman "discovered" the caves which bear his name in 1885. He opened them to tourists and they became a popular attraction. In 1922 the caves and surrounding land became a National Monument. The park was first proposed as a National Park as far back as 1924, but it wasn't until October 27, 1986 that President Reagan signed the Great Basin National Park Act. It was the combination of the caves, the glacier, its location in the unique Great Basin region and the treasured Bristlecone Pines that finally led to its acceptance as a National Park.

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