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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 79

To authorize a study of the struggle for American Independence within

the Northern Frontier.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 5, 1993

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

Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To authorize a study of the struggle for American

Independence within the Northern Frontier.

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

3 CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS

4 SECTION 1. The Congress finds and declares that:

5 (1) The area comprising historic Tryon County

6 in the Mohawk Valley of New York State and the

7 Country of the Six Nations (Iroquois Confederacy),

8 the ‘‘Northern Frontier’’, offers excellent opportuni9 ties to study a little known or understood aspect of

10 the American Revolution—the frontier experience.
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1 (2) The Northern Frontier territory was ex2 tremely valuable to both sides and hotly contested

3 because of its unique geopolitical, military, agricul4 tural, transportation, and commercial attributes.

5 (3) Because such a complex social, economic,

6 and political society was emerging on the Northern

7 Frontier, the Continental Congress established the

8 Northern Indian Department to conduct affairs

9 there, and the English made the area, and its Indian

10 population, the centerpiece of its strategy to split the

11 colonies.

12 (4) Due to the struggle to control the Northern

13 Frontier, profound privation and hardship were in14 flicted upon nearly all who lived there; a diverse mix

15 of ethnic and racial groups willingly and unwillingly

16 thrust into the struggle for independence, leaving

17 many of them dead, homeless, orphaned, or dis18 located by the end of the hostilities.

19 (5) The tensions on the Northern Frontier

20 reached such a pitch that a civil war erupted, and

21 pitted neighbors, families, tribes, and clans against

22 each other and led to among the bloodiest, intensely

23 savage, and most destructive battles of the Revolu24 tion.
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1 (6) New interpretations and interdisciplinary

2 studies of this human drama are not only necessary,

3 but timely because of the abundant supply of assets

4 in the area, including sites, buildings, celebrations,

5 folklore, and collections, many safely preserved and

6 many at risk.

7 (7) If these Northern Frontier assets can be

8 thematically related and portrayed for the education

9 and enjoyment of Americans and foreign visitors, an

10 important and often overlooked chapter in America’s

11 heritage will be displayed for the benefit and edifi12 cation of all peoples.

13 STUDY

14 SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter re15 ferred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall conduct a study to

16 identify potential means to preserve and interpret the cul17 tural resources in the Northern Frontier associated with

18 the American Revolution. As part of the study, the Sec19 retary shall propose alternatives for cooperation in the

20 preservation and interpretation of the resources.

21 CONTENTS OF STUDY

22 SEC. 3. The study of the Secretary shall contain, but

23 not be limited to, findings with respect to—

24 (1) the role played by the Northern Frontier in

25 the American Revolution;
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1 (2) the historical, cultural, natural, and outdoor

2 recreational values of the Northern Frontier;

3 (3) the types of Federal, State, and local pro4 grams that are available to preserve, develop, and

5 make accessible the Northern Frontier;

6 (4) the use of, and coordination with, Federal,

7 State, and local programs to manage in the public

8 interest the historical, cultural, natural, and rec9 reational resources of the Northern Frontier; and

10 (5) the possible kinds and general intensities of

11 development that could be associated with public en12 joyment and use of, and conservation and protection

13 of, the resources, including location and anticipated

14 costs.

15 CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW

16 SEC. 4. The Secretary shall transmit the study to the

17 Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House

18 of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and

19 Natural Resources of the Senate within twelve months

20 after funding is made available for the study.

21 CONSULTATION

22 SEC. 5. In preparing the study the Secretary shall

23 consult with the public, representatives of the affected

24 communities and the State of New York, historians, plan25 ners, recreation specialists, and historic preservationists

26 knowledgeable in American history and historic preserva-
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1 tion. The Secretary shall seek expertise from both local

2 and national organizations.

3 AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS

4 SEC. 6. There is authorized to be appropriated such

5 sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of

6 this Act.

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