H. R. 658

One Hundred Sixth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine

An Act

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

as an affiliated area of the National Park System.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Thomas Cole

National Historic Site Act’’.

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

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

As used in this Act:

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

National Historic Site established by section 4 of this Act.

(2) The term ‘‘Hudson River artists’’ means artists who

were associated with the Hudson River school of landscape

painting.

(3) The term ‘‘plan’’ means the general management plan

developed pursuant to section 6(d).

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

Interior.

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

Society of Greene County, New York, which owns the Thomas

Cole home, studio, and other property comprising the historic

site.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:

(1) The Hudson River school of landscape painting was

inspired by Thomas Cole and was characterized by a group

of 19th century landscape artists who recorded and celebrated

the landscape and wilderness of America, particularly in the

Hudson River Valley region in the State of New York.

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

landscape and allegorical painter of the mid-19th century.

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

Cole House, also known as Thomas Cole’s Cedar Grove, is
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listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has

been designated as a National Historic Landmark.

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

an area that forms a key part of the rich cultural and natural

heritage of the Hudson River Valley region, significant landscapes and scenes painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson

River artists, such as Frederic Church, survive intact.

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

River Valley Greenway to promote the preservation, public

use, and enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources of

the Hudson River Valley region.

(6) Establishment of the Thomas Cole National Historic

Site will provide opportunities for the illustration and

interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage of the United

States and unique opportunities for education, public use, and

enjoyment.

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

(1) to preserve and interpret the home and studio of

Thomas Cole for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the

people of the United States;

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

Hudson River Valley region that inspired artistic expression;

(3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation, and recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other entities in the

Hudson Valley region in order to enhance opportunities for

education, public use, and enjoyment; and

(4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson River Valley

region and its role in American history and culture.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an affiliated area

of the National Park System, the Thomas Cole National Historic

Site in the State of New York.

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

and studio of Thomas Cole, comprising approximately 3.4 acres,

located at 218 Spring Street, in the village of Catskill, New York,

as generally depicted on the boundary map numbered TCH/80002,

and dated March 1992.

SEC. 5. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF HISTORIC

SITE BY GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

The Greene County Historical Society of Greene County, New

York, shall continue to own, administer, manage, and operate the

historic site.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

(a) APPLICABILITY OF NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM LAWS.—The historic site shall be administered in a manner consistent with this

Act and all laws generally applicable to units of the National

Park System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C.

1 et seq.; commonly known as the National Park Service Organic

Act), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.; commonly known as the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act).

(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—

(1) ASSISTANCE TO SOCIETY.—The Secretary may enter into

cooperative agreements with the Society to preserve the Thomas

Cole House and other structures in the historic site and to
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assist with education programs and research and interpretation

of the Thomas Cole House and associated landscapes.

(2) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—To further the purposes of this

Act, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with

the State of New York, the Society, the Thomas Cole Foundation, and other public and private entities to facilitate public

understanding and enjoyment of the lives and works of the

Hudson River artists through the provision of assistance to

develop, present, and fund art exhibits, resident artist programs, and other appropriate activities related to the preservation, interpretation, and use of the historic site.

(c) ARTIFACTS AND PROPERTY.—The Secretary may acquire personal property associated with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of the historic site.

(d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Within two complete fiscal

years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary

shall develop a general management plan for the historic site with

the cooperation of the Society. Upon the completion of the plan,

the Secretary shall provide a copy of the plan to the Committee

on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee

on Resources of the House of Representatives. The plan shall include

recommendations for regional wayside exhibits, to be carried out

through cooperative agreements with the State of New York and

other public and private entities. The plan shall be prepared in

accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C.

1a–1 et seq.; commonly known as the National Park System General

Authorities Act).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are

necessary to carry out this Act.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.