II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 140

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New

York as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other

purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 19, 1999

Mr. MOYNIHAN (for himself and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the following bill;

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the

State of New York as an affiliated area of the National

Park System, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Thomas Cole National

5 Historic Site Designation Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

8 (1) the Hudson River school of landscape paint9 ing was inspired by Thomas Cole and was character-
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1 ized by a group of 19th century landscape artists

2 who recorded and celebrated the landscape and wil3 derness of the United States, particularly in the

4 Hudson River Valley region in the State of New

5 York;

6 (2) Thomas Cole is recognized as the United

7 States’s most prominent landscape and allegorical

8 painter of the mid-19th century;

9 (3) located in Greene County, New York, the

10 Thomas Cole House, also known as Thomas Cole’s

11 Cedar Grove, is listed on the National Register of

12 Historic Places and has been designated as a Na13 tional Historic Landmark;

14 (4) within a 15-mile radius of the Thomas Cole

15 House, an area that forms a key part of the rich

16 cultural and natural heritage of the Hudson River

17 Valley region, significant landscapes and scenes

18 painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson River

19 artists, such as Frederic Church, survive intact;

20 (5) the State of New York has established the

21 Hudson River Valley Greenway to promote the pres22 ervation, public use, and enjoyment of the natural

23 and cultural resources of the Hudson River Valley

24 region; and
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1 (6) establishment of the Thomas Cole National

2 Historic Site will provide—

3 (A) opportunities for the illustration and

4 interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage

5 of the United States; and

6 (B) unique opportunities for education,

7 public use, and enjoyment.

8 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—

9 (1) to preserve and interpret the Thomas Cole

10 House and studio for the benefit, inspiration, and

11 education of the people of the United States;

12 (2) to help maintain the integrity of the setting

13 in the Hudson River Valley region that inspired ar14 tistic expression;

15 (3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation,

16 and recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other

17 entities in the Hudson Valley region in order to en18 hance opportunities for education, public use, and

19 enjoyment; and

20 (4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson

21 River Valley region and its role in the history and

22 culture of the United States.

23 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

24 In this Act:
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1 (1) HISTORIC SITE.—The term ‘‘historic site’’

2 means the Thomas Cole National Historic Site es3 tablished by section 4.

4 (2) HUDSON RIVER ARTIST.—The term ‘‘Hud5 son River artist’’ means an artist associated with the

6 Hudson River school of landscape painting.

7 (3) PLAN.—The term ‘‘plan’’ means the general

8 management plan developed under section 6(d).

9 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

10 the Secretary of the Interior.

11 (5) SOCIETY.—The term ‘‘Society’’ means the

12 Greene County Historical Society of Greene County,

13 New York, that owns the Thomas Cole House, stu14 dio, and other property comprising the historic site.

15 SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HIS16 TORIC SITE.

17 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an af18 filiated area of the National Park System, the Thomas

19 Cole National Historic Site in the State of New York.

20 (b) DESCRIPTION.—The historic site shall consist of

21 the Thomas Cole House and studio, comprising approxi22 mately 3.4 acres, located at 218 Spring Street in the vil23 lage of Catskill, New York, as generally depicted on the

24 boundary map numbered TCH/80002, and dated March

25 1992.
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1 SEC. 5. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF

2 HISTORIC SITE BY GREENE COUNTY HISTORI3 CAL SOCIETY.

4 Under a cooperative agreement entered into under

5 section 6(b)(1), the Greene County Historical Society of

6 Greene County, New York, shall own, manage, and oper7 ate the historic site.

8 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

9 (a) APPLICABILITY OF NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

10 LAWS.—Under a cooperative agreement entered into

11 under subsection (b)(1), the historic site shall be adminis12 tered by the Society in a manner consistent with this Act

13 and all laws generally applicable to units of the National

14 Park System, including—

15 (1) the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to establish a Na16 tional Park Service, and for other purposes’’, ap17 proved August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and

18 (2) the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the

19 preservation of historic American sites, buildings,

20 objects, and antiquities of national significance, and

21 for other purposes’’, approved August 21, 1935 (16

22 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).

23 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—

24 (1) ASSISTANCE TO SOCIETY.—The Secretary

25 may enter into cooperative agreements with the

26 Society—
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1 (A) to preserve the Thomas Cole House

2 and other structures in the historic site; and

3 (B) to assist with education programs and

4 research and interpretation of the Thomas Cole

5 House and associated landscapes in the historic

6 site.

7 (2) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may

8 enter into cooperative agreements with the State of

9 New York, the Society, the Thomas Cole Founda10 tion, and other public and private entities to—

11 (A) further the purposes of this Act; and

12 (B) develop, present, and fund art exhibits,

13 resident artist programs, and other appropriate

14 activities related to the preservation, interpreta15 tion, and use of the historic site.

16 (c) ARTIFACTS AND PROPERTY.—

17 (1) PERSONAL PROPERTY GENERALLY.—The

18 Secretary may acquire personal property associated

19 with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of the

20 historic site.

21 (2) WORKS OF ART.—The Secretary may ac22 quire works of art associated with Thomas Cole and

23 other Hudson River artists for the purpose of dis24 play at the historic site.

25 (d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September

2 30, 2000, under a cooperative agreement entered

3 into under section 6(b)(1), the Society, with the as4 sistance of the Secretary, shall develop a general

5 management plan for the historic site.

6 (2) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—The plan shall in7 clude recommendations for regional wayside exhibits,

8 to be carried out through cooperative agreements

9 with the State of New York and other public and

10 private entities.

11 (3) AUTHORITY.—The plan shall be prepared in

12 accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383

13 (16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b)).

14 (4) SUBMISSION OF PLAN.—On the completion

15 of the plan, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the

16 plan to—

17 (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural

18 Resources of the Senate; and

19 (B) the Committee on Resources of the

20 House of Representatives.

21 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

22 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

23 as are necessary to carry out this Act.

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