59–010 

Calendar No. 596 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 114–323 

FORT SCOTT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE BOUNDARY 

MODIFICATION ACT 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016.—Ordered to be printed 

Ms. MURKOWSKI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2087] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 2087) to modify the boundary of the Fort Scott 

National Historic Site in the State of Kansas, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with 

an amendment and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass. 

The amendment is as follows: 

1. On page 2, line 15, strike ‘‘June 2015’’ and insert ‘‘February 

2016.’’ 

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 2087 is to modify the boundary of the Fort 

Scott National Historic Site in the State of Kansas. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

Fort Scott was established by the U.S. Army in 1842. Today it 

is an integral part of Kansas’ and the nation’s history as a contributing factor to the Bleeding Kansas slavery fights, the Civil War, 

railroad expansion, and the westward settlement of the United 

States. 

S. 2087 would modify the site’s boundaries to include four individual tracts—three to be acquired through future purchase and 

one through donation to the National Park Service. The private 

landowners whose land would be included in the boundary modification are fully supportive of the actions proposed in the legislation. 


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The subject parcels would afford much needed improvements for 

the historic site, including the addition of an appropriate maintenance facility and emergency shelter for providing public and employee safety in the event of natural disasters. The modifications 

also would allow for direct access and egress for employees and 

visitors to the highway, enrich the quality of visitors’ experiences 

through an efficient visitor contact station, and allow for the care 

of the Lunette Blair Civil War Block House, which is the sole remaining Civil War structure of the four original lunette fortifications in Fort Scott. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senator Moran introduced S. 2087 on September 28, 2015. The 

Subcommittee on National Parks considered the bill during a hearing held on June 15, 2016. 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 

business session on July 13, 2016, and ordered S. 2087 favorably 

reported as amended. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in an 

open business session on July 13, 2016, by a majority voice vote of 

a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 2087, if 

amended as described herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

During its consideration of S. 2087, the Committee on Energy 

and Natural Resources adopted an amendment to revise the date 

of the boundary map, which describes the Fort Scott National Historic proposed boundary modification. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 provides a short title for the measure. 

Section 2. Fort Scott National Historic Site 

Section 2 authorizes the purchase of lands within the boundary 

of the Fort Scott National Historical Site by appropriated funds. 

Additionally, section 2 modifies the boundary of the Fort Scott National Historic Site in accordance with the referenced map and authorizes such sums as may be necessary to acquire the needed 

land. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The Congressional Budget Office estimate of the costs of this 

measure has been requested but was not received at the time the 

report was filed. When the Congressional Budget Office completes 

its cost estimate, it will be posted on the internet at www.cbo.gov. 

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation 


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of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out 

S. 2087. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. 

No personal information would be collected in administering the 

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. 

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 2087, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

S. 2087, as ordered reported, does not contain any congressionally directed spending items, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 

benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the June 

15, 2016, Subcommittee on National Parks hearing on S. 2087 follows: 

STATEMENT OF DR. STEPHANIE TOOTHMAN, ASSOCIATE DI- RECTOR CULTURAL RESOURCES, PARTNERSHIPS, AND

SCIENCE, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank 

you for the opportunity to present the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 2087, a bill to modify the boundary of Fort Scott National Historic Site in the State of 

Kansas, and for other purposes. 

The Department supports S. 2087 with a proposed 

amendment to substitute an updated map. 

This bill would amend P.L. 95–484, the establishing legislation for Fort Scott, to modify the boundary to include 

four parcels totaling approximately 3.81 acres of land and 

to authorize the Secretary to acquire properties by purchase with appropriated funds as well as donation. 

Fort Scott was designated a National Historic Landmark 

in 1964. On October 19, 1972, Fort Scott was authorized 

as a unit of the National Park Service ‘‘to commemorate 

the significant role played by Fort Scott in the opening of 

the west, as well as the Civil War and strife in the State 

of Kansas that preceded it.’’ The historic site is currently 

16.69 acres, but it does not include four significant parcels 

adjacent to or on or near the boundary of the park. The 

four properties are identified as the Westar property, the 

Cummings property, the Chamber of Commerce property, 

and the Lunette Blair Blockhouse. 

The Westar property is 2.87 acres located adjacent to the 

western boundary of the park where the first civilian merchants in the area sold supplies to soldiers, Indians, 

tradespeople, travelers, and farmers. The Westar property 

also includes part of the historical landscape associated 

with the Civil War, including entrenchments and fortification structures that surrounded the fort. It is also the site 


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associated with two of the earliest African-American neighborhoods in Fort Scott, both during and after the Civil 

War. These African-American families and refugees escaped from Indian Territory and followed the Union Army 

to Fort Scott. They rented or owned houses on the presentday Westar property, one of which was occupied by an African-American Civil War veteran with the 2nd Kansas 

Colored Infantry who lived on his property until the 1920s. 

The Westar property includes an 18,940 square-foot 

brick structure of various elevations and storage spaces. 

The building has administrative and visitor services potential and could be utilized as an educational, orientation 

center or as exhibit/museum space that is accessible since 

this would be the only on-grade building in the boundary. 

Additionally, this brick building could improve public safety since it would be the only appropriate space in the park 

for providing visitor and employee safety in the event of a 

natural disaster such as a tornado or a severe thunderstorm. 

The Lunette Blair Blockhouse is located near the park 

boundary. It is the last remaining Civil War-era military 

structure, built to defend the town of Fort Scott and its robust military supply depot from Confederate attack. For 

more than 50 years, the blockhouse has been maintained 

and preserved through a public-private partnership between the City of Fort Scott, and local individuals and organizations. The president of the organization approached 

the park to donate the property because the members were 

no longer physically or financially able to continue their 

preservation efforts. No other organization has shown interest in preserving the Blockhouse. Without regular maintenance, this structure will continue to deteriorate and the 

opportunity for visitors to experience the epic stories of 

those who fought for freedom and the Union from 1861 to 

1865 will be lost. 

The Cummings property is 0.73 acres adjacent to the 

park’s eastern boundary and separates the historic site 

from U.S. Highway 69. This parcel would provide visitors 

with more direct access to the park. The owners have expressed interest in selling their property. The site includes 

a 13,159 square-foot building on the property suitable for 

administrative purposes. 

The Chamber of Commerce property consists of 0.24 

acres adjacent to the park’s eastern boundary. The site 

currently houses the chamber offices. The building is bordered by the park on three sides, and including this property would allow for a continuous boundary. The Chamber 

of Commerce would continue the use of this building for 

the foreseeable future. 

The estimated cost of acquisition for the Cummings 

property is approximately $147,500 and the estimated cost 

for acquisition of the Westar Property is $350,000. The Lunette Blair Blockhouse would be acquired through donation. The additional facilities and properties will increase 

park operational and maintenance costs, but the amount 


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will depend on the number of facilities acquired and their 

condition. Additional funds for maintenance, repairs and 

capital improvements would be awarded through the NPS 

competitive process, subject to service-wide priorities and 

the availability of appropriations. 

Support for the boundary modification has been expressed by various community organizations and community members, including the City of Fort Scott, the Bourbon County Economic Development Association, the Bourbon County Commissioners, the Bourbon County Riverfront Authority, the Bourbon County Chamber of Commerce, and the Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc. 

The Department requests an amendment to substitute 

an updated map. The map referenced in the bill, includes 

a parcel we do not want be included in the expansion. 

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I would be 

happy to answer any questions you or other members of 

the subcommittee may have. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the original 

bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be 

omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in 

italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 

roman): 

PUBLIC LAW 95–484 

* * * * * * * 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in order to 

commemorate the significant role played by Fort Scott in the opening of the West, as well as the Civil War and the strife in the State 

of Kansas that preceded it, the Secretary of the Interior may acquire by donation or by purchase with appropriated funds the land 

and interests in land, together with buildings and improvements 

thereon, known as Fort Scott, located in the city of Fort Scott, 

Bourbon County, Kansas ø: Provided, that the buildings so acquired shall not include the structure known as ‘‘Lunette Blair’’¿. 

øSEC. 2. WHEN¿ SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.— 

(a) IN GENERAL.—When the site of Fort Scott has been acquired 

by the United States as provided in section 1 of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall establish such area as the Fort Scott 

National Historic Site, by publication of notice and boundary map 

thereof in the Federal Register. 

(b) BOUNDARY MODIFICATION.—The boundary of the Fort Scott 

National Historic Site established under subsection (a) is modified 

as generally depicted on the map referred to as ‘‘Fort Scott National 

Historic Site Proposed Boundary Modification’’, numbered 471/ 

80,057, and dated February 2016. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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