Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization Act

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization Act 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) Canterbury Shaker Village, which was established in 1792, has played a prominent role in the history of the United Society of Believers, commonly known as the Shakers (2) the advent and growth of the Shaker movement was a significant component of a transformational religious and social fervor in the United States— (A) which is known as the Second Great Awakening (B) that led to the development of a number of churches and sects that diversified and enriched the society of the United States; (3) the Shakers— (A) were a communal and celibate religious group that saw work, music, and dance as worship; (B) practiced equality of the sexes, pacifism, and technological invention; and (C) by withdrawing from the larger society, developed a refined and aesthetically significant expression of architecture, decorative arts, and utilitarian objects that are now known and studied throughout the world; (4) Canterbury Shaker Village played an increasingly important role in the Shaker movement, eventually becoming the home of the Shaker Central Ministry, which supervised the consolidation at Canterbury Shaker Village of other Shaker settlements as the other settlements declined and closed during the 20th century, preserving and distilling remnants of the societies at a single site; (5) Canterbury Shaker Village was the only Shaker community to deliberately transform the community from a religious society to a nonprofit museum, Canterbury Shaker Village, Inc., to which, in 1969, Canterbury Shaker Village conveyed the land, buildings, furnishings, and archives of Canterbury Shaker Village as an intact legacy; (6) in 1992, in recognition of the historical significance and physical integrity of Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury Shaker Village was designated as a National Historic Landmark; (7) as of the date of enactment of this Act, Canterbury Shaker Village includes— (A) approximately 700 acres of land; (B) 25 buildings; and (C) extensive and verified archaeological resources, gardens, orchards, a community cemetery, miles of roadways, stone culverts and walls, and a chain of manmade ponds that have powered a range of industries, including some industries that derived from the inventions of the Shakers; and (8) Canterbury Shaker Village has been the beneficiary of years of concentrated surveying, mapping, photographic recordation, archaeological investigation, and documentary research and writing that— (A) reflect a fascination on the part of the outside world with Canterbury Shaker Village that began in the early 1800s; (B) are scholarly and popular in nature; and (C) have defined a cultural landscape and a historical legacy that is of national significance and high educational and aesthetic value to the people of the United States. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Heritage area The term Heritage Area (2) Secretary The term Secretary (3) State The term State (4) Study area The term study area 4. Study (a) In general The Secretary, in consultation with State and local historic preservation officers, State and local historical societies, State and local tourism offices, and other appropriate organizations and governmental agencies, shall conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as a National Heritage Area, to be known as the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area (b) Requirements The study shall include analysis, documentation, and determinations on whether the study area— (1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural resources that— (A) represent distinctive aspects of the heritage of the United States; (B) are worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and continuing use; and (C) would be best managed— (i) through partnerships among public and private entities; and (ii) by linking diverse and sometimes noncontiguous resources and active communities; (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife that are a valuable part of the story of the United States; (3) provides outstanding opportunities— (A) to conserve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic features; and (B) for recreation and education; (4) contains resources that— (A) are important to any identified themes of the study area; and (B) retain a degree of integrity capable of supporting interpretation; (5) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit organizations, and State and local governments that— (A) are involved in the planning of the Heritage Area; (B) have developed a conceptual financial plan that outlines the roles of all participants in the Heritage Area, including the Federal Government; and (C) have demonstrated support for the designation of the Heritage Area; (6) has a potential management entity to work in partnership with the individuals and entities described in paragraph (5) to develop the Heritage Area while encouraging State and local economic activity; and (7) has a conceptual boundary map that is supported by the public. 5. Report Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report that describes— (1) the findings of the study under section 4; and (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

Summary: Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the boundaries of the Canterbury Shaker Village National Historic Landmark located in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, as a National Heritage Area, to be known as the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area.