Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Preservation Act of 1998
PL 105-243 (S.1695), enacted 10/06/1998

PUBLIC LAW 105-243—OCT. 6, 1998 
112 STAT. 1579 
Public Law 105-243 
105th Congress 
An Act 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibihty 
of designating the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in the State 
of Colorado as a unit of the National Park System, 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 "Sand Creek Massacre National 
Historic Site Study Act of 1998". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) on November 29, 1864, Colonel John M. Chivington 
led a group of 700 armed soldiers to a peaceful Cheyenne 
village of more thsui 100 lodges on the Big Sandy, also known 
as Sand Creek, located within the Territory of Colorado, and 
in a running fight that ranged several miles upstream along 
the Big Sandy, slaughtered several hundred Indians in Chief 
Black Kettle's village, the majority of whom were women and 
children; 
(2) the incident was quickly recognized as a national dis-
grace and investigated and condemned by 2 congressional 
committees and a military commission; 
(3) although the United States admitted guilt and repara-
tions were provided for in article VI of the Treaty of Little 
Arkansas of October 14, 1865 (14 Stat. 703) between the United 
States and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Indians, those 
treaty obligations remain unfulfilled; 
(4) land at or near the site of the Sand Creek Massacre 
may be available for purchase from a willing seller; and 
(5) the site is of great significance to the Cheyenne and 
Arapaho Indian descendants of those who lost their lives at 
the incident at Sand Creek and to their tribes, and those 
descendants and tribes deserve the right of open access to 
visit the site and rights of cultural and historical observance 
at the site. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) SECRETARY.—^The term "Secretary" means the Secretary 
of the Interior acting through the Director of the National 
Park Service. 
(2) SITE.—The term "site' 
site described in section 2. 
Oct. 6, 1998 
[S. 1695) 
Sand Creek 
Massacre 
National Historic 
Site Study Act of 
1998. 
John M. 
Chivington. 
Black Kettle. 
Cheyenne Tribe. 
Arapaho Tribe. 
means the Sand Creek Massacre 
112 STAT. 1580 
PUBLIC LAW 105-243—OCT. 6, 1998 
(3) TRIBES.—The term "Tribes" means— 
(A) the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe of Oklahoma; 
(B) the Northern Cheyenne Tribe; and 
(C) the Northern Arapaho Tribe. 
SEC. 4. STUDY. 
Deadline 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
on which funds are made available for the purpose, the Secretary, 
in consultation with the Tribes and the State of Colorado, shall 
submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives a resource study of the site. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study under subsection (a) shall— 
(1) identify the location and extent of the massacre area 
and the suitability and feasibility of designating the site as 
a unit of the National Park System; and 
(2) include cost estimates for any necessEiry acquisition, 
development, operation and maintenance, and identification of 
alternatives for the management, administration, and protec-
tion of the area. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
necessary to carry out this Act. 
Approved October 6, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE fflSTORY—S. 1695: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-697 (Comm. on Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-244 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998): 
July 17, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 18, considered and passed House.