I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3256
To establish the Nicodemus National Historic Site in Kansas, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 16, 1996
Mr. ROBERTS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To establish the Nicodemus National Historic Site in Kansas,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) the town of Nicodemus, in Kansas, has na-
tional significance as the only remaining western
town established by African-Americans during the
Reconstruction period following the Civil War;
(2) the town of Nicodemus is symbolic of the
pioneer spirit of African-Americans who dared to
leave the only region they had been familiar with to
seek personal freedom and the opportunity to de-
velop their talents and capabilities; and
(3) the town of Nicodemus continues to be a
viable African-American community.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to preserve, protect, and interpret for the
benefit and enjoyment of present and future genera-
tions, the remaining structures and locations that
represent the history (including the settlement and
growth) of the town of Nicodemus, Kansas; and
(2) to interpret the historical role of the town
of Nicodemus in the Reconstruction period in the
context of the experience of westward expansion in
the United States.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) HISTORIC SITE.—The term ‘‘historic site’’
means the Nicodemus National Historic Site estab-
lished by section 3.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NICODEMUS NATIONAL HIS-
TORIC SITE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the
Nicodemus National Historic Site in Nicodemus, Kansas.
(b) DESCRIPTION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The historic site shall con-
sist of the First Baptist Church, the St. Francis
Hotel, the Nicodemus School District Number 1, the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Town-
ship Hall located within the approximately 161.35
acres designated as the Nicodemus National Land-
mark in the Township of Nicodemus, Graham Coun-
ty, Kansas, as registered on the National Register of
Historic Places pursuant to section 101 of the Na-
tional Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a),
and depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Nicodemus Na-
tional Historic Site’’, numbered 80,000 and dated
August 1994.
(2) MAP AND BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION.—The
map referred to in paragraph (1) and an accom-
panying boundary description shall be on file and
available for public inspection in the office of the Di-
rector of the National Park Service and any other
office of the National Park Service that the Sec-
retary determines to be an appropriate location for
filing the map and boundary description.
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF THE HISTORIC SITE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall administer
the historic site in accordance with—
(1) this Act; and
(2) the provisions of law generally applicable to
units of the National Park System, including the Act
entitled ‘‘An Act to establish a National Park Serv-
ice, and for other purposes’’, approved August 25,
1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the Act of August
21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666, chapter 593; 16 U.S.C. 461
et seq.).
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—To further the
purposes specified in section 1(b), the Secretary may enter
into a cooperative agreement with any interested individ-
ual, public or private agency, organization, or institution.
(c) TECHNICAL AND PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide
to any eligible person described in paragraph (2)
technical assistance for the preservation of historic
structures of, the maintenance of the cultural land-
scape of, and local preservation planning for, the
historic site.
(2) ELIGIBLE PERSONS.—The eligible persons
described in this paragraph are—
(A) an owner of real property within the
boundary of the historic site, as described in
section 3(b); and
(B) any interested individual, agency, or-
ganization, or institution that has entered into
an agreement with the Secretary pursuant to
subsection (b).
SEC. 5. ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the Sec-
retary is authorized to acquire by donation, exchange, or
purchase with funds made available by donation or appro-
priation, such lands or interests in lands as may be nec-
essary to allow for the interpretation, preservation, or res-
toration of the First Baptist Church, the St. Francis
Hotel, the Nicodemus School District Number 1, the Afri-
can Methodist Episcopal Church, or the Township Hall,
as described in section 3(b)(1), or any combination there-
of.
(b) LIMITATIONS.—
(1) ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE
STATE OF KANSAS.—Real property that is owned by
the State of Kansas or a political subdivision of the
State of Kansas that is acquired pursuant to sub-
section (a) may only be acquired by donation.
(2) CONSENT OF OWNER REQUIRED.—No real
property may be acquired under this section without
the consent of the owner of the real property.
SEC. 6. GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the last day of the
third full fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the
officials described in subsection (b), prepare a general
management plan for the historic site.
(b) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the general man-
agement plan, the Secretary shall consult with an appro-
priate official of each of the following:
(1) The Nicodemus Historical Society.
(2) The Kansas Historical Society.
(3) Appropriate political subdivisions of the
State of Kansas that have jurisdiction over all or a
portion of the historic site.
(c) SUBMISSION OF PLAN TO CONGRESS.—Upon the
completion of the general management plan, the Secretary
shall submit a copy of the plan to—
(1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Resources of the House
of Representatives.