IIB 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1021 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 20, 2007 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 

resources study regarding the suitability and feasibility 

of designating certain historic buildings and areas in 

Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit of the National Park 

System, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Taunton, Massachu3 setts Special Resources Study Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) The city of Taunton, Massachusetts, is 

7 home to 9 distinct historic districts, with more than 

8 600 properties on the National Register of Historic 

9 Places. Included among these districts are the 

10 Church Green Historic District, the Courthouse His11 toric District, the Taunton Green Historic District, 

12 and the Reed and Barton Historic District. 

13 (2) All of these districts include buildings and 

14 building facades of great historical, cultural, and ar15 chitectural value. 

16 (3) Taunton Green is the site where the Sons 

17 of Liberty first raised the Liberty and Union Flag 

18 in 1774, an event that helped to spark a popular 

19 movement, culminating in the American Revolution, 

20 and Taunton citizens have been among the first to 

21 volunteer for America’s subsequent wars. 

22 (4) Robert Treat Paine, a citizen of Taunton, 

23 and the first Attorney General of Massachusetts, 

24 was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. 

25 (5) Taunton was a leading community in the 

26 Industrial Revolution, and its industrial area has 


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1 been the site of many innovations in such industries 

2 as silver manufacture, paper manufacture, and ship 

3 building. 

4 (6) The landscaping of the Courthouse Green 

5 was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also 

6 left landscaping ideas and plans for other areas in 

7 the city which have great value and interest as his8 torical archives and objects of future study. 

9 (7) Main Street, which connects many of the 

10 historic districts, is home to the Taunton City Hall 

11 and the Leonard Block building, 2 outstanding ex12 amples of early 19th Century American architecture, 

13 as well as many other historically and architecturally 

14 significant structures. 

15 (8) The city and people of Taunton have pre16 served many artifacts, gravesites, and important 

17 documents dating back to 1638 when Taunton was 

18 founded. 

19 (9) Taunton was and continues to be an impor20 tant destination for immigrants from Europe and 

21 other parts of the world who have helped to give 

22 Southeastern Massachusetts its unique ethnic char23 acter. 


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1 SEC. 3. STUDY. 

2 The Secretary, in consultation with the appropriate 

3 State historic preservation officers, State historical soci4 eties, the city of Taunton, and other appropriate organiza5 tions, shall conduct a special resources study regarding the 

6 suitability and feasibility of designating certain historic 

7 buildings and areas in Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit 

8 of the National Park System. The study shall be con9 ducted and completed in accordance with section 8(c) of 

10 Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)) and shall include 

11 analysis, documentation, and determinations regarding 

12 whether the historic areas in Taunton— 

13 (1) can be managed, curated, interpreted, re14 stored, preserved, and presented as an organic whole 

15 under management by the National Park Service or 

16 under an alternative management structure; 

17 (2) have an assemblage of natural, historic, and 

18 cultural resources that together represent distinctive 

19 aspects of American heritage worthy of recognition, 

20 conservation, interpretation, and continuing use; 

21 (3) reflect traditions, customs, beliefs, and his22 torical events that are valuable parts of the national 

23 story; 

24 (4) provide outstanding opportunities to con25 serve natural, historic, cultural, architectural, or sce26 nic features; 


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1 (5) provide outstanding recreational and edu2 cational opportunities; and 

3 (6) can be managed by the National Park Serv4 ice in partnership with residents, business interests, 

5 nonprofit organizations, and State and local govern6 ments to develop a unit of the National Park System 

7 consistent with State and local economic activity. 

8 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

9 Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which 

10 funds are first made available for this Act, the Secretary 

11 shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 

12 the House of Representatives and the Committee on En13 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the 

14 findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study 

15 required under section 3. 

16 SEC. 5. PRIVATE PROPERTY. 

17 The recommendations in the report submitted pursu18 ant to section 4 shall include discussion and consideration 

19 of the concerns expressed by private landowners with reVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:26 Mar 21, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1021.RFS H1021

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1 spect to designating certain structures referred to in this 

2 Act as a unit of the National Park System. 

Passed the House of Representatives March 19, 

2007. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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