II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 323 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the French Colonial Heritage Area in the State 

of Missouri as a unit of the National Park System, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 8, 2005 

Mr. TALENT introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the French Colonial 

Heritage Area in the State of Missouri as a unit 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 ‘‘French Colonial Herit5 age National Historic Site Study Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 
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1 (1) the French Colonial Heritage Area has 

2 great historical significance as the home of two of 

3 the five poteaux-en-terre (post in the ground) 

4 vertical log French homes remaining in North Amer5 ica, dating from circa 1800, in addition to several 

6 other important historical artifacts; 

7 (2) the area is located within the Ste. Genevieve 

8 National Historic District, and is adjacent to related 

9 historic properties including the third North Amer10 ican poteaux-en-terre home, the ‘‘Le Grand Champ’’ 

11 (common field used by French settlers), historic 

12 downtown Ste. Genevieve, and a pre-historic Native 

13 American village still evidenced by several ceremo14 nial mounds; 

15 (3) the Area contains some of the only existing 

16 examples of a French Colonial Period settlement, 

17 which was characterized by contact that emphasized 

18 integration with the local culture; 

19 (4) local state agencies and organizations have 

20 undertaken significant efforts to preserve the his21 toric architecture of Ste. Genevieve and convert it to 

22 educational facilities devoted to the history of the 

23 early French experience in the New World; and 

24 (5) no current National Park System unit has 

25 comparable historic features providing the cultural 
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1 backdrop required to adequately interpret the story 

2 of the early French in the New World. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) AREA.—The term ‘‘Area’’ means the 

6 French Colonial Heritage Area, which includes the 

7 Bequette-Ribault, St. Gemme-Amoureaux, and 

8 Wilhauk homes, and the related and supporting his9 torical assets located in Ste. Genevieve County, Mis10 souri. 

11 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

12 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di13 rector of the National Park Service. 

14 SEC. 4. STUDY. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 

16 date on which funds are made available to carry out this 

17 Act, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the State of 

18 Missouri— 

19 (1) complete a study on the suitability and fea20 sibility of designating the Area as a unit of the Na21 tional Park System; and 

22 (2) submit to the Committee on Resources of 

23 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

24 Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a re25 port describing the findings of the study. 
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1 (b) CONTENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 

2 shall be conducted in accordance with Public Law 91–383 

3 (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 et seq.). 

4 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

5 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

6 as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

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