IB
Union Calendar No. 394
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3109
[Report No. 105–695]
To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New
York, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 27, 1998
Mr. SOLOMON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
SEPTEMBER 9, 1998
Reported with amendments, 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 January 27, 1998]
A BILL
To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site 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; 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 HISTORI-
CAL SOCIETY.
The Greene County Historical Society of Greene Coun-
ty, New York, shall continue to own, 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 by the Soci-
ety in a manner consistent with this Act and all laws gen-
erally applicable to units of the National Park System, in-
cluding 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
a general management plan shall be developed for the his-
toric site by the Society, with the assistance of the Sec-
retary. 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 Re-
sources of the House of Representatives. The plan shall in-
clude recommendations for regional wayside exhibits, to be
carried out through cooperative agreements with the State
of New York and other public and private entitles. The plan
shall be prepared in accordance with section 12(b) of Public
Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 et seq.; commonly known as
the National Park System General Authorities Act).
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as
are necessary to carry out this Act.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to establish
the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of
New York as an affiliated area of the National Park Sys-
tem.’’.