IB
Union Calendar No. 77
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 658
[Report No. 106–138]
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
MAY 13, 1999
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 9, 1999]
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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 art-
ists who were associated with the Hudson River school
of landscape painting.
(3) The term ‘‘plan’’ means the general manage-
ment 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 prop-
erty comprising the historic site.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The Hudson River school of landscape paint-
ing was inspired by Thomas Cole and was character-
ized 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 listed on the National Register of
Historic Places and has been designated as a Na-
tional Historic Landmark.
(4) Within a 15 mile radius of the Thomas Cole
House, an area that forms a key part of the rich cul-
tural and natural heritage of the Hudson River Val-
ley 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 preser-
vation, 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 illus-
tration and interpretation of cultural themes of the
heritage of the United States and unique opportuni-
ties for education, public use, and enjoyment.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to preserve and interpret the home and stu-
dio 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 ar-
tistic expression;
(3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation,
and recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other
entities in the Hudson Valley region in order to en-
hance opportunities for education, public use, and en-
joyment; 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 HIS-
TORIC SITE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an af-
filiated 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 approxi-
mately 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 HISTOR-
ICAL SOCIETY.
The Greene County Historical Society of Greene Coun-
ty, 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 Soci-
ety to preserve the Thomas Cole House and other
structures in the historic site and to assist with edu-
cation programs and research and interpretation of
the Thomas Cole House and associated landscapes.
(2) OTHER
ASSISTANCE.—To further the pur-
poses of this Act, the Secretary may enter into cooper-
ative agreements with the State of New York, the So-
ciety, 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 de-
velop, present, and fund art exhibits, resident artist
programs, and other appropriate activities related to
the preservation, interpretation, and use of the his-
toric 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 com-
plete 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 rec-
ommendations for regional wayside exhibits, to be carried