IB

Union Calendar No. 77

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 658

[Report No. 106–138]

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

York as an affiliated area of the National Park System.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 9, 1999

Mr. SWEENEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Resources

MAY 13, 1999

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 9, 1999]

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.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2

•HR 658 RH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the

3 ‘‘Thomas Cole National Historic Site Act’’.

4 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this

5 Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Sec. 2. Definitions.

Sec. 3. Findings and purposes.

Sec. 4. Establishment of Thomas Cole National Historic Site.

Sec. 5. Retention of ownership and management of historic site by Greene County

Historical Society.

Sec. 6. Administration of historic site.

Sec. 7. Authorization of appropriations.

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

7 As used in this Act:

8 (1) The term ‘‘historic site’’ means the Thomas

9 Cole National Historic Site established by section 4 of

10 this Act.

11 (2) The term ‘‘Hudson River artists’’ means art12 ists who were associated with the Hudson River school

13 of landscape painting.

14 (3) The term ‘‘plan’’ means the general manage15 ment plan developed pursuant to section 6(d).

16 (4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of

17 the Interior.

18 (5) The term ‘‘Society’’ means the Greene County

19 Historical Society of Greene County, New York, which

20 owns the Thomas Cole home, studio, and other prop21 erty comprising the historic site.
3

•HR 658 RH

1 SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:

3 (1) The Hudson River school of landscape paint4 ing was inspired by Thomas Cole and was character5 ized by a group of 19th century landscape artists who

6 recorded and celebrated the landscape and wilderness

7 of America, particularly in the Hudson River Valley

8 region in the State of New York.

9 (2) Thomas Cole is recognized as America’s most

10 prominent landscape and allegorical painter of the

11 mid-19th century.

12 (3) Located in Greene County, New York, the

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

14 Cedar Grove, is listed on the National Register of

15 Historic Places and has been designated as a Na16 tional Historic Landmark.

17 (4) Within a 15 mile radius of the Thomas Cole

18 House, an area that forms a key part of the rich cul19 tural and natural heritage of the Hudson River Val20 ley region, significant landscapes and scenes painted

21 by Thomas Cole and other Hudson River artists, such

22 as Frederic Church, survive intact.

23 (5) The State of New York has established the

24 Hudson River Valley Greenway to promote the preser25 vation, public use, and enjoyment of the natural and

26 cultural resources of the Hudson River Valley region.
4

•HR 658 RH

1 (6) Establishment of the Thomas Cole National

2 Historic Site will provide opportunities for the illus3 tration and interpretation of cultural themes of the

4 heritage of the United States and unique opportuni5 ties for education, public use, and enjoyment.

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

7 (1) to preserve and interpret the home and stu8 dio of Thomas Cole for the benefit, inspiration, and

9 education of the people of the United States;

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

11 in the Hudson River Valley region that inspired ar12 tistic expression;

13 (3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation,

14 and recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other

15 entities in the Hudson Valley region in order to en16 hance opportunities for education, public use, and en17 joyment; and

18 (4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson

19 River Valley region and its role in American history

20 and culture.

21 SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HIS22 TORIC SITE.

23 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an af24 filiated area of the National Park System, the Thomas Cole

25 National Historic Site in the State of New York.
5

•HR 658 RH

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

2 home and studio of Thomas Cole, comprising approxi3 mately 3.4 acres, located at 218 Spring Street, in the village

4 of Catskill, New York, as generally depicted on the boundary

5 map numbered TCH/80002, and dated March 1992.

6 SEC. 5. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF

7 HISTORIC SITE BY GREENE COUNTY HISTOR8 ICAL SOCIETY.

9 The Greene County Historical Society of Greene Coun10 ty, New York, shall continue to own, administer, manage,

11 and operate the historic site.

12 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

13 (a) APPLICABILITY OF NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

14 LAWS.—The historic site shall be administered in a manner

15 consistent with this Act and all laws generally applicable

16 to units of the National Park System, including the Act

17 of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.; commonly known

18 as the National Park Service Organic Act), and the Act

19 of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.; commonly known

20 as the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act).

21 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—

22 (1) ASSISTANCE TO SOCIETY.—The Secretary

23 may enter into cooperative agreements with the Soci24 ety to preserve the Thomas Cole House and other

25 structures in the historic site and to assist with edu-
6

•HR 658 RH

1 cation programs and research and interpretation of

2 the Thomas Cole House and associated landscapes.

3 (2) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—To further the pur4 poses of this Act, the Secretary may enter into cooper5 ative agreements with the State of New York, the So6 ciety, the Thomas Cole Foundation, and other public

7 and private entities to facilitate public understanding

8 and enjoyment of the lives and works of the Hudson

9 River artists through the provision of assistance to de10 velop, present, and fund art exhibits, resident artist

11 programs, and other appropriate activities related to

12 the preservation, interpretation, and use of the his13 toric site.

14 (c) ARTIFACTS AND PROPERTY.—The Secretary may

15 acquire personal property associated with, and appropriate

16 for, the interpretation of the historic site.

17 (d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Within two com18 plete fiscal years after the date of the enactment of this Act,

19 the Secretary shall develop a general management plan for

20 the historic site with the cooperation of the Society. Upon

21 the completion of the plan, the Secretary shall provide a

22 copy of the plan to the Committee on Energy and Natural

23 Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources

24 of the House of Representatives. The plan shall include rec25 ommendations for regional wayside exhibits, to be carried
7

•HR 658 RH

1 out through cooperative agreements with the State of New

2 York and other public and private entities. The plan shall

3 be prepared in accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law

4 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 et seq.; commonly known as the

5 National Park System General Authorities Act).

6 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

7 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as

8 are necessary to carry out this Act.
Union Calendar No. 77

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 658

[Report No. 106–138]

A BILL

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic

area of the National Park System.Site in the State of New York as an affiliated

MAY 13, 1999

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,