108TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3257

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conitage Area. sibility of establishing the Western Reserve Her- duct a study to determine the suitability and fea-

108TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3257

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a

study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Western Reserve Heritage Area.

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

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Western Reserve Herit3 age Areas Study Act’’.

4 SEC. 2. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING THE

5 WESTERN RESERVE, OHIO.

6 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:

7 (1) The area that encompasses the modern-day

8 counties of Trumbull, Mahoning, Ashtabula, Portage,

9 Geagua, Lake, Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Huron,

10 Lorain, Erie, Ottawa, and Ashland in Ohio with the

11 rich history in what was once the Western Reserve,

12 has made a unique contribution to the cultural, polit13 ical and industrial development of the United States.

14 (2) The Western Reserve is distinctive as the

15 land settled by the people of Connecticut after the

16 Revolutionary War. The Western Reserve holds a

17 unique mark as the original wilderness land of the

18 West that many settlers migrated to in order to begin

19 life outside of the original 13 colonies.

20 (3) The Western Reserve played a significant

21 role in providing land to the people of Connecticut

22 whose property and land was destroyed during the

23 Revolution. These settlers were descendants of the

24 brave immigrants who came to the Americas in the

25 17th century.
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1 (4) The Western Reserve offered a new destina2 tion for those who moved west in search of land and

3 prosperity. The agricultural and industrial base that

4 began in the Western Reserve still lives strong in these

5 prosperous and historical counties.

6 (5) The heritage of the Western Reserve remains

7 transfixed in the counties of Trumbull, Mahoning,

8 Ashtabula, Portage, Geagua, Lake, Cuyahoga, Sum9 mit, Medina, Huron, Lorain, Erie, Ottawa, and Ash10 land in Ohio. The people of these counties are proud

11 of their heritage as shown through the unwavering at12 tempts to preserve agricultural land and the indus13 trial foundation that has been embedded in this re14 gion since the establishment of the Western Reserve.

15 Throughout these counties, historical sites, and mark16 ers preserve the unique traditions and customs of its

17 original heritage.

18 (6) The counties that encompass the Western Re19 serve continue to maintain a strong connection to its

20 historic past as seen through its preservation of its

21 local heritage, including historic homes, buildings,

22 and centers of public gatherings.

23 (7) There is a need for assistance for the preser24 vation and promotion of the significance of the West25 ern Reserve as the natural, historic and cultural her-
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1 itage of the counties of Trumbull, Mahoning, Ash2 tabula, Portage, Geagua, Lake, Cuyahoga, Summit,

3 Medina, Huron, Lorain, Erie, Ottawa and Ashland

4 in Ohio.

5 (8) The Department of the Interior is responsible

6 for protecting the Nation’s cultural and historical re7 sources. There are significant examples of such re8 sources within these counties and what was once the

9 Western Reserve to merit the involvement of the Fed10 eral Government in the development of programs and

11 projects, in cooperation with the State of Ohio and

12 other local governmental entities, to adequately con13 serve, protect, and interpret this heritage for future

14 generations, while providing opportunities for edu15 cation and revitalization.

16 (b) STUDY.—

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in con18 sultation with the State of Ohio, the counties of

19 Trumbull, Mahoning, Ashtabula, Portage, Geagua,

20 Lake, Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Huron, Lorain,

21 Erie, Ottawa, and Ashland, and other appropriate or22 ganizations, carry out a study regarding the suit23 ability and feasibility of establishing the Western Re24 serve Heritage Area in these counties in Ohio.
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1 (2) CONTENTS.—The study shall include anal2 ysis and documentation regarding whether the Study

3 Area—

4 (A) has an assemblage of natural, historic,

5 and cultural resources that together represent

6 distinctive aspects of American heritage worthy

7 of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and

8 continuing use, and are best managed through

9 partnerships among public and private entities

10 and by combining diverse and sometimes non11 contiguous resources and active communities;

12 (B) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and

13 folklife that are a valuable part of the national

14 story;

15 (C) provides outstanding opportunities to

16 conserve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic fea17 tures;

18 (D) provides outstanding recreational and

19 educational opportunities;

20 (E) contains resources important to the

21 identified theme or themes of the Study Area

22 that retain a degree of integrity capable of sup23 porting interpretation;

24 (F) includes residents, business interests,

25 nonprofit organizations, and local and State
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1 governments that are involved in the planning,

2 have developed a conceptual financial plan that

3 outlines the roles for all participants, including

4 the Federal Government, and have demonstrated

5 support for the concept of a national heritage

6 area;

7 (G) has a potential management entity to

8 work in partnership with residents, business in9 terests, nonprofit organizations, and local and

10 State governments to develop a national heritage

11 area consistent with continued local and State

12 economic activity;

13 (H) has a conceptual boundary map that is

14 supported by the public; and

15 (I) has potential or actual impact on pri16 vate property located within or abutting the

17 Study Area.

18 (c) BOUNDARIES OF THE STUDY AREA.—The Study

19 Area shall be comprised of the counties of Trumbull,

20 Mahoning, Ashtabula, Portage, Geagua, Lake, Cuyahoga,
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1 Summit, Medina, Huron, Lorain, Erie, Ottawa, and Ash2 land in Ohio.

Passed the House of Representatives September 21,

2004.

Attest:

Clerk.