Proclamation 1618

by Warren G. Harding

By the President of the United States of America A PROCLAMATION. ⁠Whereas, certain natural caves, known as the Lehman Caves, which are situated upon partly surveyed lands within the Nevada National Forest in the State of Nevada, are of unusual scientific interest and importance, and it appears that the public interests will be promoted by reserving these caves with as much land as may be necessary for the proper protection thereof, as a National Monument. ⁠Now, therefore, I, Warren G. Harding, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the power in me vested by section two of the Act of Congress approved June eight, nineteen hundred and six, entitled, "An Act for the preservation of American antiquities", do proclaim that there are hereby reserved from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, subject to all prior valid adverse claims, and set apart as a National Monument, all tracts of land in the State of Nevada shown as the Lehman Caves National Monument on the diagram forming a part hererof. ⁠The reservation made by this proclamation is not intended to prevent the use of the lands for National Forest purposes under the proclamation establishing the Nevada National Forest, and the two reservations shall both be effective on the land withdrawn but the National Monument hereby established shall be the dominant reservation and any use of the land which interferes with its preservation or protection as a National Monument is hereby forbidden. ⁠Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, deface, remove, or destroy any feature of this National Monument, or to locate or settle on any of the lands reserved by this proclamation. ⁠In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. ⁠Done at the City of Washington this twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two, and the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and forty-sixth. Warren G. Harding⁠ By the President: Charles Evans Hughes, Secretary of State.