1.This Act may be cited as
the First State National Historical
Park Act
.
2.
(a)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)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
.
3.In this Act:
(1)The
term map
means the map entitled First State National
Historical Park–Proposed Boundary
, numbered
____, and dated
_____.
(2)The
term Park
means the First State National Historical Park
established by section 4(a).
(3)The
term Secretary
means the Secretary of the Interior.
(4)The
term State
means the State of Delaware.
4.Establishment of
the First State National Historical Park
(a)There
is established in the State a unit of the National Park System to be known as
the First State National Historical Park
.
(b)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)
(1)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)The map shall be available for public inspection in the
appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
(3)The
headquarters for the Park shall be in the City of New Castle, Delaware.
(d)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)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 agreementsSubject 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)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)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)).
5.Study of
additional properties
(a)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)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.
6.Authorization of
appropriations
(a)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)
(1)The Federal share of the cost of activities under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall be not more than 50
percent.
(2)The
non-Federal share required under paragraph (1) may be in the form of in-kind
contributions of goods or services fairly valued.