A Brief History Of The National Park Service

Cover

Foreword

National Park Idea

Early Growth

NPS Created

Policies

Duties

Education

Research

Wildlife

Plans and Design

Engineering

Operations

Law

Forestry

Historic Conservation

Land Planning

State Cooperation

RDAs

Work Camps

Recreation Study

Travel

Future

Sources

Antiquities Act

Organic Act

Historic Sites Act

Recreational-Area Programs Act

Bibliography

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

AN ACT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES, APPROVED JUNE 8, 1906 (34 STAT. 225)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object of antiquity, situated on lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States, without the permission of the Secretary of the department of the Government having jurisdiction over the lands on which said antiquities are situated, shall, upon conviction, be fined in a sum of not more than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for a period of not more than ninety days, or shall suffer both fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. (U.S.C., title 16, sec 433.)

Sec. 2. That the President of the United States is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and may reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected:

Provided, That when such objects are situated upon a tract covered by a bona fide unperfected claim or held in private ownership, the tracts, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the proper care and management of the object, may be relinquished to the Government, and the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to accept the relinquishment of such tracts in behalf of the Government of the United States. (U.S.C., title 16, sec. 451.)

Sec. 3. That permits for the examination of ruins, the excavation of archaeological sites, and the gathering of objects of antiquity upon the lands under their respective jurisdictions may be granted by the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and War to institutions which they may deem properly qualified to conduct such examination, excavation, or gathering, subject to such rules and regulations as they may prescribe: Provided, That the examinations, excavations, and gatherings are undertaken for the benefit of reputable museums, universities, colleges, or other recognized scientific or educational institutions, with a view to increasing the knowledge of such objects, and that the gatherings shall be made for permanent preservation in public museums. (U.S.C., title 16, sec 432.)

Sec. 4. That the Secretaries of the departments aforesaid shall make and publish from time to time uniform rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act. (u.s.c., title 16, sec. 432.)

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Last Modified: Mon, Jun 16 2003 10:00:00 pm PDT
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