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 TO AUTHORIZE A STUDY OF THE PARK, PARKWAY, AND RECREATIONAL-AREA PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary") is authorized and directed to cause the National Park Service to make a comprehensive study, other than on lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, of the public park, parkway, and recreational-area programs of the United States, and of the several States and political subdivisions thereof, and of the lands throughout the United States which are or may be chiefly valuable as such areas, but no such study shall be made in any State without the consent and approval of the State officials, boards, or departments having jurisdiction over such lands and park areas. The said study shall be such as, in the judgment of the Secretary, will provide data helpful in developing a plan for coordinated and adequate public park, parkway, and recreational-area facilities for the people of the United States. In making the said study and in accomplishing any of the purposes of this Act, the Secretary is authorized and directed, through the National Park Service, to seek and accept the cooperation and assistance of Federal departments or agencies having jurisdiction of lands belonging to the United States, and may cooperate and make agreements with and seek and accept the assistance of other Federal agencies and instrumentalities, and of States and political subdivisions thereof and the agencies and instrumentalities of either of them.

Sec. 2. For the purpose of developing coordinated and adequate public park, parkway, and recreational-area facilities for the people of the United States, the Secretary is authorized to aid the several States and political subdivisions thereof in planning such areas therein, and in cooperating with one another to accomplish these ends. Such aid shall be made available through the National Park Service acting in co-operation with such State agencies or agencies of political subdivisions of States as the Secretary deems best.

Sec. 3. The consent of Congress is hereby given to any two or more States to negotiate and enter into compacts or agreements with one another with reference to planning, establishing, developing, improving, and maintaining any park, parkway, or recreational area. No such compact or agreement shall be effective until approved by the legislatures of the several States which are parties thereto and by the Congress of the United States.

Sec. 4. As used in sections 1 and 2 of this Act the term "State" shall be deemed to include Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

Approved, June 23, 1936.

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