[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8375 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8375
To establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical
Park in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 14, 2022
Mr. Bost introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(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) Kaskaskia, Fort de Chartres and Prairie du Rocher once
served as the western boundary of the United States.
(3) In 1763, Pierre Laclede Liguest quartered in the
Prairie du Rocher French Colonial District in the Winter of and
founded St. Louis in February of 1764.
(4) On July 4, 1778, General George Rogers Clark, with the
assistance of Father Pierre Gibault, captured Prairie du Rocher
and the Village of Kaskaskia.
(5) On November 28, 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark visited the Village of Kaskaskia, seeking Engages and
troops to accompany them on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
(6) In 1818, Kaskaskia served as the first State Capital of
Illinois.
(7) In 1825, General Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du
Montier de Lafayette visited the Village of Kaskaskia.
(8) In 1960, Fort de Chartres, the French seat of
government and primary military station on the upper
Mississippi River, erected in 1720, was declared a National
Historic Landmark.
(9) In 1966, Fort de Chartres and the Modoc Rock Shelter
were declared National Historic Landmarks.
(10) In 1973, the Creole House in Prairie du Rocher was
added to the National Registry of Historic Places.
(11) In 1974, Prairie du Rocher and the French Colonial
Historic District, an area of 22 square miles, was created and
added to the National Registry of Historic Places, along with
the ancient Kolmer Indian site.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) recognize the importance of Prairie du Rocher and the
French Colonial Historic District as a nationally significant
architectural village of the cultural heritage of the United
States; and
(2) establish a Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National
Historical Park to serve as the focus of interpretive and
educational programs on the history of the French Colonial
Historic District, and to assist in the preservation of
historic sites within the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial
Historic District.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRAIRIE DU ROCHER FRENCH COLONIAL NATIONAL
HISTORICAL PARK.
(a) In General.--In order to assist in the preservation and
interpretation of, and education concerning, of 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 hereby established the Prairie du
Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park in the State of
Illinois.
(b) Area Included.--The historical park shall consist of lands and
interests therein as follows:
(1) Lands and structures associated with--
(A) the Creole House (1800), a French creole
vernacular post in ground (poteaux-sur-sol)
construction--one of only five remaining in the United
States;
(B) the Pierre Menard Home (1803) Menard was the
first Lieutenant Governor of Illinois; and
(C) the Doiron Bienvenue House, post in ground
(poteaux-sur-sol) construction (1860).
(2) A portion of the Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site, a
200-acre park, which celebrates the vanished frontier Village
of Kaskaskia, is home to the earthen remains of Fort Kaskaskia,
and preserves Garrison Hill Cemetery, where Pierre Menard and
dozens of veterans are interred.
(3) Any Federal land acquired under section 5 and used as
in interpretive visitor center complex for the historical park.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION; MANAGEMENT.
(a) Administration.--The Secretary shall administer the historical
park in accordance with this title and with provisions of law generally
applicable to units of the National Park System, including--
(1) section 100502 of title 54, United States Code; and
(2) chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.
(b) Management.--The Secretary shall manage the historical park in
such a manner as will preserve resources and cultural landscapes
relating to the history of the historic district and to enhance public
understanding of the important cultural heritage of the historic
district.
SEC. 4. INTERPRETIVE VISITOR CENTER COMPLEX.
(a) In General.--
(1) Construction; lease.--The Secretary is authorized to
construct on Federal land or lease space to operate and to
maintain an interpretive visitor center complex to provide for
the general information and orientation needs of the historical
park and the historic district and serve the needs of the
historical park.
(2) Consultation.--When the planning and development of the
interpretive visitor center complex, the Secretary shall
consult with--
(A) the State of Illinois;
(B) Randolph County;
(C) the Village of Prairie du Rocher; and
(D) the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
(b) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary is authorized to enter
into cooperative agreements for the development of the interpretive
visitor center complex, educational programs, and other materials to
facilitate public use of the historical park and historic district
with--
(1) the State of Illinois;
(2) Randolph County;
(3) the Village of Prairie du Rocher; and
(4) the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
SEC. 5. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY.
(a) General Authority.--Except as otherwise provided in this
section, the Secretary is authorized to acquire lands and interests
therein within the boundaries of the historical park by donation,
purchase with donated or appropriated funds, and exchange.
(b) State and Local Properties.--Lands and interests therein that
are owned by the State of Illinois, or any political subdivision
thereof, may be acquired only by donation or exchange.
SEC. 6. DONATIONS.
The Secretary may accept and retain donations of funds, property,
or services from individuals, foundations, or other public or private
entities for the purposes of providing programs, services, facilities,
or technical assistance that further the purposes of this Act. Any
funds donated to the Secretary pursuant to this section may be expended
without further appropriation.
SEC. 7. GRANT ASSISTANCE.
The Secretary is authorized to make grants to park partners for
projects not requiring Federal involvement other than providing
financial assistance, subject to the availability of appropriations in
advance identifying the specific grantee and the specific project.
Projects funded through grants under this section shall--
(1) be used only for construction and development on non-
Federal property within the boundaries of the historic
district;
(2) support the purposes of the historical park; and
(3) enhance public use and enjoyment of the historical
park.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Historic district.--The term ``historic district''
means the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial Historic District
listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
(2) Historical park.--The term ``historical park'' means
the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park
established by section 2(a).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
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