Management

Laws & Policies

Purpose and Significance of the Park

Weir Farm National Historical Park was established as a National Historic Site on October 31, 1990, under Public Law 101-485, 104 stat. 1171. On January 5, 2021, it was redesignated as a National Historical Park under Public Law 116-305, elevating its importance and significance to preserving the life and work of landscape artist Julian Alden Weir (1852-1919)—a pioneering landscape artist, and one of the founders of American Impressionism.

As outlined in our enabling legislation, the park’s purpose is threefold:

• Preserve a significant site associated with the tradition of American Impressionism.

• Maintain the integrity of a setting that inspired artistic expression.

• Offer opportunities for the inspirational benefit and education of the American people.

Weir Farm National Historical Park is the only site within the National Park System dedicated to painting, making it a unique destination for art, history, and nature enthusiasts alike.

Superintendent's Compendium

The Superintendent's Compendium is a park-specific public notice document that supplements the rules implemented under 36 Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR, Chapter 1). It identifies visiting hours, closures, and public use limits for activities such as dog-walking, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and winter activities. It provides a list of activities requiring either a special use permit or reservation, and elaborates on public use and resource protection regulations pertaining specifically to the administration of the park.

The provisions contained in this Compendium apply to all people entering, using, visiting or otherwise present on Federally owned lands, including submerged lands, and waters administered by the National Park Service within the legislative boundaries of Weir Farm National Historical Park.

The Superintendent’s Compendium does not repeat regulations found in 36 CFR and other United States Code and CFR Titles, which are enforced without further elaboration. As identified in 36 CFR, Chapter 1 the following activities are prohibited within the boundaries of Weir Farm National Historical Park:

Prohibited Activities

• Metal detecting. 36 CFR 2.1

• Disturbing, destroying, removing, defacing cultural resources, including but not limited to, archeological objects and historic features. 36 CFR 2.1

• Possessing, destroying, injuring, or removing wildlife. 36 CFR 2.1

• Gathering firewood. 36 CFR 2.1

• Harvesting nuts directly from trees. 36 CFR 2.1

• Hunting and trapping wildlife. 36 CFR 2.2

• Chumming, using live bait, chemicals, and/or electricity for recreational fishing at Weir Pond. 36 CFR 2.2

• Camping. The park does not have a designated camping area. 36 CFR 2.10

• Audio disturbances that exceed 60 decibels. 36 CFR 2.12

• Lighting or maintaining a fire. 36 CFR 2.13

• Dumping of any household, commercial, industrial, or green waste, including compost, yard waste, leaves, or other waste on park property. 36 CFR 2.14

• Possessing pets in public federal buildings, with exception of service animals. 36 CFR 2.15

• Leaving a pet tied to an object or unattended on park grounds, including leaving a pet in a vehicle on park property. 36 CFR 2.15

• Using snow mobiles. 36 CFR 2.18

• Using skates, skateboards, or similar devices. 36 CFR 2.20

• Leaving property unattended. 36 CFR 2.22

• Trespassing, tampering with, or vandalizing park property. 36 CFR 2.31

• Disorderly conduct. 36 CFR 2.34

• Possession or use of a controlled substance. 36 CFR 2.35

• Gambling. 36 CFR 2.36

• Residing on park property. 36 CFR 2.61

• Boating or water use activities on Weir Pond. 36 CFR Part 3

• Using off-road motorized vehicles. 36 CFR 4.10

• Using bicycles, e-bicycles, segways or similar devices, which are only permitted within the Visitor Parking Lot and on public roads, such as Pelham Lane and Nod Hill Road. 36 CFR 4.30

• Hitchhiking. 36 CFR 4.31

Accessibility

Visitors with disabilities are authorized to use motorized wheelchairs or Other Power Drive Mobility Devices (OPDMDs) as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, in lieu of manual or motorized wheelchairs on accessible paths within the park. This includes access to the Weir House porch, the north terrace of Burlingham House, and the restrooms of the Burlingham Barn. However, OPDMDs are not permitted inside historic structures due to the density of historic furnishings and stanchions. Interior spaces in the Weir and Burlingham Houses have been modified to accommodate manual wheelchairs. More information regarding accessibility, including virtual tour resources, can be found on the Accessibility page.

Firearms in National Parks

The law governing possession of firearms in national park units changed on February 22, 2010, when Congress passed Section 512 of the Credit Card Accountability Act (P.L. 111‑24), allowing individuals who can lawfully possess firearms under federal, state, and local laws to carry them in national parks.

Visitors are responsible for knowing and complying with all applicable federal, state, and local firearm regulations for the park they are visiting. In addition, federal law continues to prohibit firearms in certain park facilities—such as visitor centers, ranger stations, offices, fee collection buildings, and maintenance shops—which are marked with “firearms prohibited” signs at public entrances.

For more information about firearms regulations in Connecticut, please visit the Connecticut state website.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Monitoring Policy Statement

In accordance with National Park Service Law Enforcement Reference Manual 9 (RM-9), notice is hereby given that Weir Farm National Historical Park uses Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) security camera monitoring.

The park’s use of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) for law enforcement and security purposes will only be to visually monitor public park areas and public activities where no constitutionally protected reasonable expectation of privacy exists. Such CCTV use – which will have adequate privacy and First Amendment safeguards – will be to help ensure public safety and security, facilitate the detection, investigation, prevention, and deterrence of terrorist attack and crime; help ensure the safety of citizens and officers; help assist in the proper allocation and deployment of law enforcement and public safety resources; and help facilitate the protection of the innocent and the apprehension and prosecution of criminals. (RM-9, 26.1)

This policy does not restrict the official use of CCTV in government administrative areas, including administrative buildings, jail holding facilities (RM-9, 26.3.7), revenue collection sites, etc., where the government may record or monitor its facilities. For example, the government may perform unrestricted video/audio recording at revenue collection points (entrance stations, visitor center counters, etc.). This policy does not restrict the use of an Audio/Visual Recording Device (AVRD) in patrol vehicles or officer-worn recording devices used by commissioned rangers. (RM-9, 26.1).

Operation of CCTV cameras, maintenance of recorded images and use of recorded images will be in accordance with NPS and Department policy and applicable laws and regulations. (RM-9, 26.1-26.4)

No person will be targeted or monitored merely because of race, religion, gender, sex, disability, national origin, or political affiliation or views. (RM-9, 26.4.2)

Nothing in this policy statement is intended to create any rights, privileges, or benefits not otherwise recognized by law.