I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 658

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

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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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

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

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

7 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.
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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.

1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

2 As used in this Act:

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

4 Cole National Historic Site established by section 4

5 of this Act.

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

7 artists who were associated with the Hudson River

8 school of landscape painting.

9 (3) The term ‘‘plan’’ means the general man10 agement plan developed pursuant to section 6(d).

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

12 of the Interior.

13 (5) The term ‘‘Society’’ means the Greene

14 County Historical Society of Greene County, New

15 York, which owns the Thomas Cole home, studio,

16 and other property comprising the historic site.

17 SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

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

19 (1) The Hudson River school of landscape

20 painting was inspired by Thomas Cole and was char21 acterized by a group of 19th century landscape art22 ists who recorded and celebrated the landscape and
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1 wilderness of America, particularly in the Hudson

2 River Valley region in the State of New York.

3 (2) Thomas Cole is recognized as America’s

4 most prominent landscape and allegorical painter of

5 the mid-19th century.

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

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

8 Cedar Grove, is listed on the National Register of

9 Historic Places and has been designated as a Na10 tional Historic Landmark.

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

12 House, an area that forms a key part of the rich

13 cultural and natural heritage of the Hudson River

14 Valley region, significant landscapes and scenes

15 painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson River

16 artists, such as Frederic Church, survive intact.

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

18 Hudson River Valley Greenway to promote the pres19 ervation, public use, and enjoyment of the natural

20 and cultural resources of the Hudson River Valley

21 region.

22 (6) Establishment of the Thomas Cole National

23 Historic Site will provide opportunities for the illus24 tration and interpretation of cultural themes of the
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1 heritage of the United States and unique opportuni2 ties for education, public use, and enjoyment.

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

4 (1) to preserve and interpret the home and stu5 dio of Thomas Cole for the benefit, inspiration, and

6 education of the people of the United States;

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

8 in the Hudson River Valley region that inspired ar9 tistic expression;

10 (3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation,

11 and recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other

12 entities in the Hudson Valley region in order to en13 hance opportunities for education, public use, and

14 enjoyment; and

15 (4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson

16 River Valley region and its role in American history

17 and culture.

18 SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HIS19 TORIC SITE.

20 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an af21 filiated area of the National Park System, the Thomas

22 Cole National Historic Site in the State of New York.

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

24 the home and studio of Thomas Cole, comprising approxi25 mately 3.4 acres, located at 218 Spring Street, in the vil-
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1 lage of Catskill, New York, as generally depicted on the

2 boundary map numbered TCH/80002, and dated March

3 1992.

4 SEC. 5. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF

5 HISTORIC SITE BY GREENE COUNTY HISTORI6 CAL SOCIETY.

7 The Greene County Historical Society of Greene

8 County, New York, shall continue to own, manage, and

9 operate the historic site.

10 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

11 (a) APPLICABILITY OF NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

12 LAWS.—The historic site shall be administered by the So13 ciety in a manner consistent with this Act and all laws

14 generally applicable to units of the National Park System,

15 including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.;

16 commonly known as the National Park Service Organic

17 Act), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et

18 seq.; commonly known as the Historic Sites, Buildings,

19 and Antiquities Act).

20 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—

21 (1) ASSISTANCE TO SOCIETY.—The Secretary

22 may enter into cooperative agreements with the So23 ciety to preserve the Thomas Cole House and other

24 structures in the historic site and to assist with edu-
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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 coop5 erative agreements with the State of New York, the

6 Society, the Thomas Cole Foundation, and other

7 public and private entities to facilitate public under8 standing and enjoyment of the lives and works of

9 the Hudson River artists through the provision of

10 assistance to develop, present, and fund art exhibits,

11 resident artist programs, and other appropriate ac12 tivities related to the preservation, interpretation,

13 and use of the historic 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

18 complete fiscal years after the date of the enactment of

19 this Act, the Secretary shall develop a general manage20 ment plan for the historic site with the cooperation of the

21 Society. Upon the completion of the plan, the Secretary

22 shall provide a copy of the plan to the Committee on En23 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Com24 mittee on Resources of the House of Representatives. The

25 plan shall include recommendations for regional wayside
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1 exhibits, to be carried out through cooperative agreements

2 with the State of New York and other public and private

3 entities. The plan shall be prepared in accordance with

4 section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 et

5 seq.; commonly known as the National Park System Gen6 eral Authorities Act).

7 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

8 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

9 as are necessary to carry out this Act.

Æ