Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park Establishment Act

S. 2865 · 118th Congress · Sep 20, 2023 · Lineage

A BILL

To establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes.

Section 1 Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park Establishment Act”.

Sec. 2 Findings and purposes

(a)

Findings— Congress finds that—

(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)

the 1752 French census documents that Kaskaskia was a multi-ethnic community, with a population of—

(A)

275 White people;

(B)

246 Black people;

(C)

75 Indian people; and

(D)

77 people of mixed blood (White and Indian ancestry);

(4)

enslaved people from Africa began arriving in Kaskaskia by 1720 with the skills needed to build the Fort of Kaskaskia in 1759, such as blacksmiths, joiners, and masons;

(5)

Fort de Chartres was—

(A)

erected in 1720 by France;

(B)

one of the most imposing French fortifications in North America;

(C)

the administrative center in the era of French colonial control over Louisiana and the Illinois country; and

(D)

designated as a National Historic Landmark on October 9, 1960;

(6)

the powder magazine at Fort de Chartres is the oldest stone building in the State;

(7)

the guard house at Fort de Chartres contains—

(A)

a Catholic chapel furnished in the style of the 1750s;

(B)

a priest’s room;

(C)

a gunner’s room;

(D)

an officer-of-the-day room; and

(E)

a guard’s room;

(8)

missionary Father Pierre Gibault taught and ministered to the settlers and Native Americans at the guard house at Fort de Chartres;

(9)

the King of France made land concessions to certain entrepreneurs that evolved into villages, including the village of Chartres, which was located close to Fort de Chartres;

(10)

the Mitchigamea, or Michigamea, was an Indian Tribe in the Illinois Confederation that established a village north of Fort de Chartres, including a village in the American Bottom, inhabited from 1730 to 1752, which is one of the premier archaeological sites in the region, known as the “Kolmer Site”;

(11)

in 1763, Pierre Laclede Liguest quartered in the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial District, planning the new village of St. Louis, which Liguest established in February 1764;

(12)

on July 4, 1778, General George Rogers Clark, with the assistance of Father Pierre Gibault, captured Prairie du Rocher and the village of Kaskaskia;

(13)

on November 28, 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark visited the village of Kaskaskia seeking boatmen and troops to accompany the Lewis and Clark expedition;

(14)

a United States fort located next to the Garrison Hill Cemetery was recently discovered that dates from 1803 to 1806;

(15)

in 1818, the village of Kaskaskia served as the first State capital of Illinois;

(16)

in 1825, General Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Montier de Lafayette visited the village of Kaskaskia;

(17)

in 1876, a religious order, known as the “Adorers of the Blood of Christ”, established a convent near Prairie du Rocher in rural Ruma to minister to the people of southwestern Illinois through education and religious instruction;

(18)

in addition, the health care needs of the people led the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ to create and operate hospitals;

(19)

since 1877, the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ have staffed schools at the request of pastors;

(20)

by 1938, the staffing of the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ at schools helped to open schools in 103 towns;

(21)

the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ also served in other outreach ministries throughout the region;

(22)

the convent of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ—

(A)

was built in 1876;

(B)

was expanded in 1890 and 1925;

(C)

was updated in 1980;

(D)

served as—

(i)

an educational institution; and

(ii)

a high school that offered 30 hours of college credit from St. Louis University; and

(E)

contains a memorial to, and the remains of, 5 martyred nuns who ministered in Liberia in 1992;

(23)

Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ convent had been serving in Liberia since 1971;

(24)

on January 20, 1961, the Modoc Rock Shelter was declared a National Historic Landmark;

(25)

in 1973, the Creole House in Prairie du Rocher was added to the National Register of Historic Places; and

(26)

in 1974, Prairie du Rocher and the French Colonial Historic District, which is an area of 22 square miles, was added to the National Register of Historic Places, along with the ancient Kolmer Indian site.

(b)

Purposes— The purposes of this Act are—

(1)

to recognize the importance of Prairie du Rocher and the French Colonial Historic District as a nationally significant architectural village that embodies the cultural heritage of the United States;

(2)

to establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park—

(A)

to serve as the focus of interpretive and educational programs relating to the history of the French Colonial Historic District; and

(B)

to assist in the preservation of historic sites within the French Colonial Historic District;

(3)

to recognize the contribution of religious women in the development of the United States through the missions and intrinsic desire of the religious women to improve the lives of people through education, health, social services, and other ministries, with an emphasis on the contributions of such women in southwestern Illinois; and

(4)

to recognize the existence and contribution of the early enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, and people of mixed ancestry at Kaskaskia and Prairie du Rocher for their skills as blacksmiths, joiners, and masons.

Sec. 3 Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Historic district— The term Historic District means the Prairie du Rocher and the French Colonial Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

(2)

Historical park— The term Historical Park means the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park established by section 4(a).

(3)

Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(4)

State— The term “State” means the State of Illinois.

Sec. 4 Establishment of the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park

(a)

In general— To assist in the preservation and interpretation of, and education relating to, the Historic District, the contribution of religious women to the development of the United States, and the multi-ethnic community that was Kaskaskia and Prairie du Rocher, and to provide technical assistance to a broad range of public and private landowners and preservation organizations, there is established in the State the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park.

(b)

Area included— The Historical Park shall consist of the following:

(1)

Land and structures associated with Fort de Chartres and surrounding adjacent land, including the Kolmer Site, the village of Chartres, and the site of the home of Pierre Laclede.

(2)

The Creole House, which is a French creole vernacular post-in-ground or “poteaux-sur-sol” structure constructed in 1800, 1 of only 5 remaining in the United States.

(3)

The home of Pierre Menard, the first Lieutenant Governor of the State, which was constructed in 1803.

(4)

Land and structures associated with the Doiron Bienvenue House, which is a post-in-ground structure constructed in 1860.

(5)

The Adorers of the Blood of Christ convent, which was originally built in 1876 and updated in 1980, including an education wing and surrounding structures and adjacent parcels.

(6)

A portion of the Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site, which—

(A)

is a 200-acre park that celebrates the vanished frontier village of Kaskaskia;

(B)

is home to the earthen remains of Fort Kaskaskia; and

(C)

preserves Garrison Hill Cemetery, at which Pierre Menard and dozens of veterans are interred.

(c)

Map—

(1)

In general— As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a map depicting the boundaries of the Historical Park.

(2)

Availability— The map prepared under paragraph (1) shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

Sec. 5 Administration

The Secretary shall administer the Historical Park—

(1)

in accordance with—

(A)

this Act; and

(B)

the provisions of law generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including section 100502 and chapter 3021 of title 54, United States Code; and

(2)

in a manner that—

(A)

preserves resources and cultural landscapes relating to the history of the Historic District; and

(B)

enhances public understanding of the important cultural heritage of the Historic District.

Sec. 6 Interpretive visitor center complex

(a)

Acquisition—

(1)

In general— The Secretary may acquire the Adorers of the Blood of Christ convent and surrounding structures—

(A)

to operate and maintain an interpretive visitor center complex, conference center, and lodging facilities;

(B)

to provide for the general information and orientation needs of the Historical Park and the Historic District;

(C)

to serve the needs of the Historical Park; and

(D)

to serve as a residence for the Superintendent of the Historical Park, as appropriate.

(2)

Consultation— For purposes of the planning and development of the interpretive visitor center complex authorized for acquisition under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with—

(A)

the State;

(B)

Randolph County, Illinois;

(C)

the village of Prairie du Rocher; and

(D)

the State Department of Natural Resources.

(b)

Cooperative agreements— The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the entities described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) for the development of—

(1)

the interpretive visitor center complex authorized under paragraph (1) of that subsection; and

(2)

educational programs and materials to facilitate the public use of the Historical Park and the Historic District.

Sec. 7 Acquisition of land

(a)

In general— Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary may acquire land and interests in land within the boundaries of the Historical Park by—

(1)

donation;

(2)

purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or

(3)

exchange.

(b)

Exception— Notwithstanding subsection (a), land and interests in land that are owned by the State or any political subdivision of the State may be acquired for the Historical Park under that subsection only by donation or exchange.

Sec. 8 Donations

(a)

Acceptance— The Secretary may accept donations of funds, property, or services from individuals, foundations, or other public or private entities for the purposes of providing programs, services, facilities, and technical assistance that further the purposes of this Act.

(b)

Expenditure— Any funds donated to the Secretary under subsection (a) may be expended by the Secretary without further appropriation.

Sec. 9 Grant assistance

(a)

In general— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may make grants to partners of the Historical Park for eligible projects described in subsection (b).

(b)

Description of eligible projects— An eligible project referred to in subsection (a) is a project—

(1)

that does not require Federal involvement other than the provision of financial assistance;

(2)

for the construction and development of non-Federal land and structures within the boundaries of the Historic District;

(3)

that support the purposes of the Historical Park; and

(4)

that enhances public use and enjoyment of the Historical Park.