[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3893 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3893

 To establish the First State National Historical Park in the State of 
                   Delaware, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 21, 2009

  Mr. Castle introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the First State National Historical Park in the State of 
                   Delaware, 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 ``First State National Historical Park 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the State of Delaware contains a collection of 
        nationally significant resources relating to--
                    (A) the early succession of the Dutch, Swedish, and 
                English settlement of the United States; and
                    (B) the period leading up to the role of Delaware 
                as the first State to ratify the Constitution on 
                December 7, 1787;
            (2) among the resources relating to the early settlement of 
        the United States are--
                    (A) National Historic Landmarks in Wilmington, 
                Delaware, including--
                            (i) the site of Fort Christina, which was--
                                    (I) constructed in 1638 by 
                                colonists led by Peter Minuet to be the 
                                focal point of New Sweden; and
                                    (II) the first Swedish settlement 
                                in North America; and
                            (ii) Old Swedes Church, which is the oldest 
                        church building still standing as originally 
                        built;
                    (B) historic sites in New Castle, Delaware, 
                including--
                            (i) Fort Casimir, which was constructed by 
                        the Dutch in 1651; and
                            (ii) the New Castle Historic District, 
                        which is the location of an assemblage of 
                        resources associated with Dutch, Swedish, and 
                        English settlement of the State; and
                    (C) the Lewes Historic District in Lewes, Delaware, 
                which--
                            (i) is listed on the National Register of 
                        Historic Places;
                            (ii) was a significant location for early 
                        Dutch settlement and early nationhood;
                            (iii) is the oldest town formed in 
                        Delaware; and
                            (iv) contains Ryves Holt House, which--
                                    (I) was built in 1665; and
                                    (II) is the oldest building still 
                                standing in the State;
            (3) among the nationally significant resources relating to 
        the period of English settlement and the birth of the United 
        States are a collection of resources in New Castle, Delaware, 
        including--
                    (A) the Old New Castle Courthouse, which served as 
                the capitol of the colony until 1777; and
                    (B) other National Historic Landmarks, including--
                            (i) the home of John Dickinson, who is 
                        known as the ``Penman of the Revolution'';
                            (ii) the Jacob Broom House, which was the 
                        home of Jacob Broom, delegate to the 
                        Constitutional Convention;
                            (iii) Lombardy Hall, which was the home of 
                        Gunning Bedford, Jr., delegate to the 
                        Constitutional Convention; and
                            (iv) Stonum, which was the home of George 
                        Read, who was--
                                    (I) a delegate to the 
                                Constitutional Convention; and
                                    (II) an advocate of the early 
                                ratification of the Constitution by the 
                                State of Delaware;
            (4) Dover Green, laid out in 1717 in accordance with the 
        1683 orders of William Penn, was the site at which Delaware--
                    (A) voted to ratify the Constitution;
                    (B) mustered a Continental Regiment during the 
                Revolution; and
                    (C) celebrated the reading of the Declaration of 
                Independence in 1776;
            (5) the State Archives in Dover, Delaware, contains records 
        and documents of persons and events that contribute to public 
        knowledge and understanding of--
                    (A) the period of the early settlement of Delaware; 
                and
                    (B) the role of Delaware as the First State;
            (6) the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, Delaware--
                    (A) commemorates the founding of the first European 
                settlement in the State by the Dutch in 1631; and
                    (B) provides exhibits and information on the 
                maritime, social, and military history of the Lewes 
                area; and
            (7) it is fitting and proper that the resources described 
        in this subsection be recognized through the establishment of 
        the first unit of the National Park System in the State of 
        Delaware so that the public may better understand and 
        appreciate the contributions of those resources to the history 
        of the United States.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish the First 
State National Historical Park to preserve, protect, and promote public 
understanding and appreciation of--
            (1) the cultural and historic resources associated with 
        early Dutch, Swedish, and English settlement in Delaware; and
            (2) the events, places, and persons associated with the 
        role of Delaware as the ``First State''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``First 
        State National Historical Park-Proposed Boundary'', numbered 
        [____], and dated [_____].
            (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the First State National 
        Historical Park established by section 4(a).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Delaware.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIRST STATE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the State a unit of the 
National Park System to be known as the ``First State National 
Historical Park''.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Park is to preserve, protect, and 
interpret--
            (1) the historic and cultural resources associated with 
        Dutch, Swedish, and English settlement in the State; and
            (2) the resources associated with the role of the State as 
        the first State to ratify the Constitution.
    (c) Boundaries.--
            (1) In general.--The Park shall be comprised of the 
        following, as generally depicted on the map:
                    (A) The New Castle Historic District.
                    (B) Fort Christina.
                    (C) The Old Swedes Church.
                    (D) The John Dickinson Plantation.
                    (E) Lombardy Hall.
                    (F) Stonum.
                    (G) The Lewes Historic District.
                    (H) The Dover Green.
            (2) Availability of map.--The map shall be available for 
        public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National 
        Park Service.
            (3) Headquarters.--The headquarters for the Park shall be 
        in the City of New Castle, Delaware.
    (d) Acquisition of Land.--The Secretary may acquire land or 
interests in land within the boundaries of the Park by--
            (1) donation;
            (2) purchase from willing sellers with donated or 
        appropriated funds; or
            (3) exchange.
    (e) Administration.--The Secretary shall administer the Park in 
accordance with--
            (1) this Act; and
            (2) the laws generally applicable to units of the National 
        Park System, including--
                    (A) the National Park Service Organic Act (16 
                U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
                    (B) the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et 
                seq.).
    (f) Grants and Cooperative Agreements.--Subject to the availability 
of funds under section 6(a), the Secretary may provide grants and 
technical assistance to, and to enter into cooperative agreements 
with--
            (1) the State, political subdivisions of the State 
        (including the cities of Wilmington, New Castle, Dover, and 
        Lewes, Delaware), nonprofit organizations, and private property 
        owners for--
                    (A) the development, management, and operation of 
                visitor service facilities, subject to the non-Federal 
                entity agreeing to provide the National Park Service, 
                at no extra cost, with sufficient office space and 
                exhibition areas to carry out the purposes of the Park 
                within the facilities;
                    (B) historic preservation of, research on, and 
                interpretation of properties within the boundary of the 
                Park, including research on the archaeology of the 
                Park;
                    (C) public access;
                    (D) educational programs; and
                    (E) signage and interpretive devices on properties 
                and sites within the Park for interpretive purposes; 
                and
            (2) the State Archives located in Dover, Delaware, and the 
        Zwaanandael Museum located in Lewes, Delaware, for research and 
        exhibits relating to the purposes of the Park.
    (g) Interpretation.--The Secretary may provide interpretive tours 
to historic sites within the State located outside the boundaries of 
the Park that include resources relating to--
            (1) early Dutch, Swedish, and English settlement; and
            (2) the period leading up to the role of the State as the 
        first State to ratify the Constitution.
    (h) General Management Plan.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the 
Secretary, in coordination with the State and in consultation with 
owners of properties within the boundaries of the Park, shall prepare a 
general management plan for the Park in accordance with section 12(b) 
of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-7(b)).

SEC. 5. STUDY OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
funds are made available under section 6(a), the Secretary shall 
complete a study regarding the preservation and interpretation of 
additional properties in the State that relate to the purposes 
described in section 4(b).
    (b) Inclusions.--The study shall include an assessment of--
            (1) the potential for designating the properties as 
        National Historic Landmarks; and
            (2) options for maintaining the historic integrity of the 
        properties.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as are necessary to carry out this Act, including--
            (1) $3,000,000 for grants to the State, political 
        subdivisions of the State, and nonprofit organizations for the 
        rehabilitation of existing structures to serve as 
        administrative and visitor services facilities for the Park; 
        and
            (2) $2,500,000 for grants to the State, political 
        subdivisions of the State, private property owners, and 
        nonprofit organizations for--
                    (A) the historic preservation and restoration of 
                resources within the boundary of the Park; and
                    (B) the costs of design, construction, 
                installation, and maintenance of any exhibits relating 
                to the Park.
    (b) Non-Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of 
        activities under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall 
        be not more than 50 percent.
            (2) Form.--The non-Federal share required under paragraph 
        (1) may be in the form of in-kind contributions of goods or 
        services fairly valued.
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