Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park Establishment Act
Bill: S.4525 | Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy (D-IL)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park Establishment Act
This bill establishes the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park in Illinois.
The Department of the Interior may construct or lease space to operate and maintain an interpretive center for the park.

To establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical 
         Park in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Prairie du Rocher French Colonial 
National Historical Park Establishment Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) Prairie du Rocher and the French Colonial Historic 
        District are the finest historical and architectural examples 
        of French colonial heritage in the United States;
            (2) in 1966, Fort de Chartres and the Modoc Rock Shelter 
        were each designated as a National Historic Landmark;
            (3) in 1973, the Creole House in Prairie du Rocher was 
        added to the National Register of Historic Places;
            (4) in 1974, the French Colonial Historic District, which 
        is an area of 22 square miles that includes the ancient Kolmer 
        Indian site, was added to the National Register of Historic 
        Places;
            (5) Fort de Chartres, which was constructed in 1720--
                    (A) served as the French seat of government and 
                primary military station on the upper Mississippi 
                River; and
                    (B) was designated as a National Historic Landmark 
                in 1960;
            (6) Pierre Laclede Liguest--
                    (A) quartered in the Prairie du Rocher French 
                Colonial District in the winter of 1763; and
                    (B) in February 1764, founded St. Louis, Missouri;
            (7) in 1818, the village of Kaskaskia served as the first 
        State capital of Illinois;
            (8) on July 4, 1778, General George Rogers Clark, with the 
        assistance of Father Pierre Gibault, captured Prairie du Rocher 
        and the village of Kaskaskia;
            (9) on November 28, 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William 
        Clark visited the village of Kaskaskia seeking boatmen and 
        troops to accompany the Lewis and Clark expedition;
            (10) in 1825, General Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert 
        du Montier de Lafayette visited the village of Kaskaskia; and
            (11) the village of Kaskaskia, Fort de Chartres, and 
        Prairie du Rocher once served as the western boundary of the 
        United States.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to recognize the importance of Prairie du Rocher and 
        the French Colonial Historic District as a nationally 
        significant architectural village that embodies the cultural 
        heritage of the United States; and
            (2) to establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial 
        National Historical Park--
                    (A) to serve as the focus of interpretive and 
                educational programs relating to the history of the 
                French Colonial Historic District; and
                    (B) to assist in the preservation of historic sites 
                within the French Colonial Historic District.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Historical park.--The term ``Historical Park'' means 
        the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park 
        established by section 4(a).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Illinois.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRAIRIE DU ROCHER FRENCH COLONIAL NATIONAL 
              HISTORICAL PARK.

    (a) In General.--To assist in the preservation, interpretation, and 
education relating to Prairie du Rocher and the French Colonial 
Historic District and to provide technical assistance to a broad range 
of public and private landowners and preservation organizations, there 
is established in the State the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial 
National Historical Park.
    (b) Area Included.--The Historical Park shall consist of the 
following:
            (1) Land and structures associated with the Creole House, 
        which was constructed in 1800, a French Creole vernacular post-
        in-ground or ``poteaux-sur-sol'' structure that is 1 of 5 
        remaining such structures in the United States.
            (2) Land and structures associated with the Pierre Menard 
        Home, which was constructed in 1803 and in which Pierre Menard 
        lived during his term as the first Lieutenant Governor of 
        Illinois.
            (3) Land and structures associated with the Doiron 
        Bienvenue House, which is a post-in-ground or ``poteaux-sur-
        sol'' structure constructed in 1860.
            (4) A portion of the Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site, 
        which--
                    (A) is a 200-acre park that celebrates the vanished 
                frontier village of Kaskaskia;
                    (B) is home to the earthen remains of Fort 
                Kaskaskia; and
                    (C) preserves Garrison Hill Cemetery at which 
                Pierre Menard and dozens of veterans are interred.
            (5) Not more than 1,000 acres of land that the Secretary 
        may designate for an interpretive center for the Historical 
        Park, in accordance with subsections (c) and (d) of section 5.
    (c) Map.--
            (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a map 
        depicting the boundaries of the Historical Park.
            (2) Availability.--The map prepared under paragraph (1) 
        shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate 
        offices of the National Park Service.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PRAIRIE DU ROCHER FRENCH COLONIAL 
              NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the Historical 
Park--
            (1) in accordance with--
                    (A) this Act; and
                    (B) the provisions of law generally applicable to 
                units of the National Park System, including chapter 
                3201 of title 54, United States Code; and
            (2) in a manner that--
                    (A) preserves resources and cultural landscapes 
                relating to the history of the French Colonial Historic 
                District; and
                    (B) enhances public understanding of the important 
                cultural heritage of the French Colonial Historic 
                District.
    (b) Donations.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may accept donations of 
        funds, property, or services from individuals, foundations, or 
        other public or private entities for the purposes of providing 
        programs, services, facilities, and technical assistance that 
        further the purposes of the Historical Park.
            (2) Expenditure.--Any funds donated to the Secretary under 
        paragraph (1) may be expended by the Secretary without further 
        appropriation.
    (c) Interpretive Center.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may construct or lease space 
        to operate and maintain on land identified to be appropriate by 
        the Secretary an interpretive center for the Historical Park.
            (2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the 
        State, Randolph County, Illinois, the village of Prairie du 
        Rocher, Illinois, and the Illinois Department of Natural 
        Resources in the planning and development of the interpretive 
        center authorized under paragraph (1).
    (d) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements with the State, Randolph County, Illinois, the 
village of Prairie du Rocher, Illinois, the Illinois Department of 
Natural Resources, and other public or private organizations for the 
development of--
            (1) the interpretive center authorized under subsection 
        (c)(1); and
            (2) educational programs and other materials that would 
        facilitate public use of the Historical Park.
    (e) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Secretary may make grants to partners of 
        the Historical Park for eligible projects described in 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Eligible project.--A project eligible for a grant under 
        paragraph (1) is a project that--
                    (A) does not require Federal involvement other than 
                the provision of financial assistance;
                    (B) supports the purposes of the Historical Park;
                    (C) enhances public use and enjoyment of the 
                Historical Park; and
                    (D) may include financial assistance for 
                construction and development on non-Federal land within 
                the boundaries of the Historical Park.
    (f) Acquisition of Land.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary may acquire land and interests in land within the 
        boundaries of the Historical Park by--
                    (A) donation;
                    (B) purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or
                    (C) exchange.
            (2) Exception.--Land and interests in land that are owned 
        by the State or any political subdivision of the State may be 
        acquired for the Historical Park under paragraph (1) only by 
        donation or exchange.
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