Weir Farm National Historic Site Establishment Act of 1990
PL 101-485 (S.2059), enacted 10/31/1990

PUBLIC LAW 101-485—OCT. 31, 1990 
104 STAT. 1171 
Public Law 101-485 
101st Congress 
An Act 
To establish the Weir Farm National Historic Site in the State of Connecticut. 
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 "Weir Farm National Historic Site 
Establishment Act of 1990". 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
As used in this Act— 
(1) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior. 
(2) The term "historic site" means the Weir Farm National 
Historic Site established in section 4. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FiNDiNCJS.—The Congress finds that— 
(1) the Weir Farm in Connecticut is listed on the National 
Register of Historic Places as a historic site associated with 
major American artists and several artistic developments; 
(2) the Weir Farm, acquired in 1882 by J. Alden Weir, a 
founder and principal exponent of American Impressionism, 
has been continuously occupied by working artists and their 
families who have maintained its significance and integrity as a 
historic site; and 
(3) the Weir Farm, including the house, bams, studios, pond, 
field, and woods thereon, and the approximately 113 acres of 
adjacent natural areas owned by the Nature Conservancy and 
the Town of Ridgefield, Connecticut, provide opportunities for 
illustrating and interpreting cultural themes of our Nation's 
heritage 
and 
provide opportunities for 
public use 
and 
enjojrment. 
(b) PtJRPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to preserve a significant site of the tradition of American 
Impressionism; 
(2) to maintain the integrity of a setting that inspired artistic 
expression and encourages public enjoyment; and 
(3) to offer opportunities for the inspirational benefit and 
education of the American people. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF WEIR FARM NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established, as a unit of the National 
Park System, the Weir Farm National Historic Site in the State of 
Connecticut. 
(b) DESCRIPTION.—The historic site shall consist of— 
(1) the approximately 2-acre core parcel containing the Weir 
house, studio, and bam; and 
(2) the approximately 60 acres and improvements thereon 
owned by the State of Connecticut; 
Oct. 31, 1990 
[S. 2059] 
Weir Farm 
National 
Historic Site 
Establishment 
Act of 1990. 
National parks. 
Art. 
J. Alden Weir. 
16 u s e 461 note. 
49-139 O - 90 (485) 
104 STAT. 1172 
PUBLIC LAW 101-485—OCT. 31, 1990 
both as generally depicted on a map entitled "Land Ownership Map, 
Weir Farm Historic Site", Figure 5, dated October 1989, as con-
tained in the National Park Service Weir Farm Suitability/Feasibil-
ity Study, February, 1990. Such map shall be on file and avaQable 
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Nationsd Park 
Service. 
SEC. 
5
. 
ACQUISITION 
OF 
REAL 
AND PERSONAL 
PROPERTY 
AND SERVICES. 
(a) REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY.—The Secretary is authorized to 
acquire by donation, exchange, or purchase with donated or appro-
priated funds, the lands and improvements within the boundaries of 
the historic site, except that any such lands and improvements 
owned by the State of Connecticut may be acquired only by dona-
tion. The Secretary may also acquire by the same methods personal 
property associated with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of 
the historic site: Provided, That the Secretary may acquire works of 
art associated with the Weir family, J. Alden Weir, and other artists 
who lived at or visited the site only by donation or purchase with 
donated funds. 
(b) OTHER PROPERTY, FUNDS, AND SERVICES.—The Secretary is 
authorized to accept and use donated funds, property, and services 
to carry out this Act. 
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall administer the historic site 
in accordance with this Act and the laws generally applicable to 
units of the National Park System, including the Act entitled "An 
Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes", 
approved August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the Act entitled 
"An Act to provide for the preservation of historic American sites, 
buildings, objects, and antiquities of national historic significance, 
and for other purposes", approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et 
seq.), except that the Secretary shall take no action with respect to 
the 60 acres owned by the State of Connecticut within the bound-
aries of the historic site until such time as the State has transferred 
all right, title, and interests therein to the Secretary. 
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—(1) The Secretary may consult and 
enter into cooperative agreements with the Weir Farm Heritage 
Trust, the State of Connecticut, the American Academy of Arts and 
Letters, and other organizations and groups in the development, 
presentation and funding of art exhibits, resident artist programs, 
and other appropriate activities related to the preservation, develop-
ment, and use of the historic site. 
(2) The Secretary may consult and enter into cooperative agree-
, 
ments with the Nature Conservancy and the towns of Ridgefield and 
Wilton for the purpose of coordinating activities on the historic site 
with activities on the Nature Conservancy's Weir Preserve and 
lands adjoining the historic site owned by the towns. 
(c) ExHiBiTS.^The Secretary may ^ p l a y , and accept for the 
purpose of display, works of art associated with J, Alden Weir, the 
Weir Farm, and the American Impressionist movement, as may be 
necessary for the interpretation of the historic site. 
(d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Within 2 complete fiscal years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the 
United States House of Representatives and to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate a gen-
PUBLIC LAW 101-485—OCT. 31, 1990 
104 STAT. 1173 
eral management plan for the historic site. The plan shall he 
prepared in accordance with section 12(b) of the Act of August 18, 
1970 (16 U.S.C. la-1 through la-7) and other applicable law. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, except that not more 
than $1,500,000 may be appropriated for the acquisition of real and 
personal property. 
Approved October 31, 1990. 
^ , 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2059: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 101-782 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 101-318 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 136 (1990): 
June 14, considered and psissed Senate. 
Oct. 10, considered and passed House, amended. 
Oct. 17, Senate concurred in House amendment. 
39-194 O - 91 - 7 : QL 3 Part 2