I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 545
To establish the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers National Historical Park in
the State of New York, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 4, 1997
Mr. MCNULTY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To establish the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers National His-
torical Park in the State of New York, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hudson and Mohawk
Rivers National Historical Park Act’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act—
(1) HUDSON-MOHAWK AREA.—The term ‘‘Hud-
son-Mohawk Area’’ means the area made up of the
cities of Troy, Cohoes, and Watervliet, the towns of
Waterford and Colonie, and the villages of Water-
ford and Green Island in the State of New York.
(2) PARK.—The term ‘‘park’’ means the Hud-
son and Mohawk Rivers National Historical Park es-
tablished pursuant to section 4(c).
(3) SITES.—The term ‘‘sites’’ means the Har-
mony Mills National Historic Site and the Kate
Mullaney National Historic Site established by sec-
tions 4 (a) and (b), respectively.
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The area of the confluence of the Hudson
and Mohawk Rivers in the State of New York expe-
rienced rapid growth and transformation from an
agrarian to an industrial area in the early 19th cen-
tury because of its geographic location, water power,
and human creative genius. It has been called the
‘‘Birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution’’.
(2) The cities and villages that make up the
Hudson-Mohawk area in the 19th century were com-
mercial and industrial communities that linked New
England’s markets with other northeastern cities
and Europe, and spawned the collar industry, the
thriving iron and textile industries, and a diversified
economy.
(3) The transition from an agrarian to indus-
trial society within this area produced dramatically
different relationships between workers and employ-
ers and historically significant examples of the
Americanization of immigrant workers.
(4) The city of Troy was a leader nationally in
the development of trade unions with the Troy union
of iron molders being at one time the largest local
in America and the Trojan laundry workers organiz-
ing the first female union in the Nation.
(5) Across the Hudson River from Troy in the
city of Cohoes, the Harmony Mills complex, Ameri-
ca’s largest complete cotton mill in its time, made
Cohoes a significant example of the company town
pervading almost every aspect of the life of the mill
workers.
(6) As a result of the enactment of Public Law
102–101 calling for a national labor theme study,
the Harmony Mills complex and the Kate Mullaney
house, home of the organizer of the first female
union in the Nation, were nominated for National
Historic Landmark status.
(7) This area exists today as a reservoir of his-
toric and cultural lands, waterways, and structures
revealing the wide diversity of individual and social
endeavor associated with the life of the American
worker that created a productive urban industrial
society.
(8) Collectively, the resources of this area pro-
vide opportunities for illustrating and interpreting
cultural themes of the heritage of the United States
and unique opportunities for education, public use
and enjoyment.
(9) The seven cities, towns, and villages making
up this Hudson-Mohawk area have entered into a
cooperative arrangement to manage their valuable
cultural resources, and the area has been designated
by the State of New York to be one of 14 urban cul-
tural parks to represent industrial development and
labor themes in the State’s development.
(10) This area, known as the Hudson-Mohawk
Urban Cultural Park or RiverSpark, has been a pio-
neer in the development of ‘‘partnership parks’’
where intergovernmental and public and private
partnerships bring about the conservation of its her-
itage and the attainment of goals for preservation,
education, recreation, and economic development.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to preserve and interpret for the benefit, in-
spiration, and education of the people of the United
States significant places illustrative and representa-
tive of the legacy of the Hudson-Mohawk area work-
ers;
(2) to help maintain the integrity of setting in
the Hudson-Mohawk area that reveals significant
chapters in the story of the American worker;
(3) through cooperative management, to coordi-
nate the interpretive, preservation, and recreational
efforts of Federal, State, and regional entities in the
Hudson-Mohawk area in order to enhance opportu-
nities for education, public use, and enjoyment; and
(4) to broaden public understanding of the
Hudson-Mohawk area and its role in American pre-
history, history, and culture.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF SITES AND PARK.
(a) HARMONY MILLS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.—
There is established, as a unit of the National Park Sys-
tem, the Harmony Mills National Historic Site consisting
of a portion of the Harmony Mills complex as depicted
on the map entitled ‘‘llll’’ and dated llll.
(b) KATE MULLANEY HOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC
SITE.—There is established, as a unit of the National
Park System, the Kate Mullaney National Historic Site
consisting of the home of Kate Mullaney located at 350–
8th Street, City of Troy, State of New York and as gen-
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘llll’’ and dated
llll.
(c) HUDSON AND MOHAWK RIVERS NATIONAL HIS-
TORICAL PARK.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—At such time as the
Secretary determines that sufficient lands, improve-
ments, and interests in lands and improvements
have been acquired, or at such time as the Secretary
has entered into cooperative agreements satisfying
the interpretive, preservation, and historical objec-
tives of this Act, the Secretary may establish the
Hudson and Mohawk Rivers National Historical
Park in the State of New York by publication in the
Federal Register of notice of the establishment and
a detailed description or map setting forth the lands
and improvements included in the park.
(2) INCLUDED LANDS.—The park shall consist
of the sites established by subsections (a) and (b).
(3) MAPS.—The maps referred to in this sec-
tion shall be on file and available for public inspec-
tion in appropriate offices of the National Park
Service, Department of the Interior.
SEC. 5. ACQUISITION OF REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY
AND SERVICES.
(a) REAL PROPERTY.—The Secretary may acquire
the sites and such lands and improvements as are nec-
essary for the management and operation of the sites.
(b) PERSONAL PROPERTY.—For the purposes of the
park, the Secretary may acquire historic objects and arti-
facts and other personal property associated with and ap-
propriate for the interpretation of the park.
(c) OTHER PROPERTY, FUNDS, AND SERVICES.—For
the purpose of carrying out this Act, the Secretary may
accept donated funds, property, and services and enter
into cooperative agreements with the Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation of the State of New
York, the Department of Environmental Conservation of
the State of New York, and other appropriate State, coun-
ty, and local entities and individuals, including the Hud-
son-Mohawk Urban Cultural Park Commission, the Hud-
son-Mohawk Industrial Gateway, the Hudson River Valley
Greenway Council, and other private museums and insti-
tutions.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF PARK.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall administer
the park in accordance with this Act and all laws generally
applicable to national historic sites, including the Acts en-
titled ‘‘An Act to establish a National Park Service, and
for other purposes’’, approved August 25, 1916 (16
U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and ‘‘An Act to provide for the preserva-
tion of historic American sites, buildings, objects, and an-
tiquities of national significance, and for other purposes’’,
approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
(b) PRESERVATION AND INTERPRETATION.—In ad-
ministering the park, the Secretary shall preserve and in-
terpret the site and preserve and perpetuate knowledge
and understanding of the park’s natural and cultural re-
sources.
(c) IN GENERAL.—
(1) COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS.—To further
the purposes of this Act, the Secretary may consult
with and enter into cooperative agreements with the
State of New York and other public and private en-
tities. Each agreement shall facilitate the develop-
ment, presentation, and funding of exhibits and pro-
grams and other appropriate activities related to the
preservation, development, and use of the park, and
encourage an appreciation of the story and tradi-
tions inspired by the workers of the Hudson-Mohawk
area.
(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Through agree-
ments, the Secretary may provide technical assist-
ance to cooperating entities described in paragraph
(1) for the marking, interpretation, restoration,
preservation, or interpretation of any property listed
in section 4.
(3) INTERPRETATION AGREEMENTS.—The Sec-
retary may enter into additional cooperative agree-
ments to plan and coordinate the interpretation of
the cultural and natural history of the Hudson River
Valley region, which provides the context for relating
the story of the workers of the Hudson-Mohawk
area.
(d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the end of
the second fiscal year that begins after the establish-
ment of the park, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate and the Committee on Resources of the
House of Representatives a general management
plan for the sites and the park.
(2) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the plan,
the Secretary, acting through the Director of the
National Park Service, shall consult with advisors
(including representatives of cooperating entities de-
scribed in subsection (c), representatives of local and
municipal interests, nationally recognized historians,
scholars, and other experts) concerning the interpre-
tation, preservation, and visitations of, and other is-
sues pertaining to the park and other sites of related
historical or scenic significance in the Hudson-Mo-
hawk area.
(3) STATUTORY AUTHORITIES.—The plan shall
be prepared in accordance with this subsection and
section 12(b) of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to improve
the administration of the national park system by
the Secretary of the Interior, and to clarify the au-
thorities applicable to the system, and for other pur-
poses’’, approved August 18, 1970 (16 U.S.C. 1a–
7), and other applicable law.
(4) CONTENTS.—The plan shall include—
(A) recommendations and cost estimates
for the identification, marking, interpretation,
and preservation of properties associated with
the workers of the Hudson-Mohawk area to be
carried out through cooperative agreements and
other means considered appropriate and prac-
ticable;
(B) recommendations on ways to broaden
public understanding of the Hudson-Mohawk
and its role in American prehistory, history,
and culture; and
(C) recommendations on ways to foster rel-
evant public education, resources preservation,
and appropriate levels of regional tourism.
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