Enabling Legislation

 

Park enabling legislations are those laws that lead to the founding of the park.

 

1916 Presidential Proclamation

Acadia National Park officially began with the establishment of Sieur de Monts National Monument by Presidential Proclamation 1339 in 1916. The text of the proclamation is as follows:

Whereas, the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations, State of Maine, did, on the 10th day of June, 1916, pursuant to the Act of Congress entitled, “An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities,” approved June 8, 1906, (34 Stat., 225), by their certain deed of conveyance, properly executed in writing and acknowledged, give, grant and convey to the United States of America the following described lands at that time held by them in private ownership and being located upon Mount Desert Island in the State of Maine, and bounded and particularly described as follows, to wit... (six pages of deed language omitted)

Whereas, the said conveyance has been accepted by the Secretary of the Interior in the manner and for the purposes prescribed in said act of Congress, and;

Whereas, the said lands embrace about five thousand acres adjacent to and including the summit of Mount Desert Island, which island was discovered by Samuel de Champlain and upon which he first landed when, acting under the authority of Sieur de Monts, he explored and described the present New England coast, an exploration and discovery of great historic interest. The topographic configuration, the geology, the fauna and the flora of the island, largely embraced within the limits of the Monument, also, are of great scientific interest:

Now, therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the power and authority in me vested by Section 2 of said Act of Congress, do hereby declare and proclaim that the said lands hereinbefore described and which are located within the irregular tract and fully delineated on the diagram hereto attached and made a part hereof, are hereby reserved and set apart as a National Monument, to be known and recognized as the Sieur de Monts National Monument.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy or remove any of the features or objects included within the boundaries of this Monument and not to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this 8th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and sixteen, and of the (seal) Independence of the United States the one hundred and forty-first. Woodrow Wilson, President

 

1919 - Name Change to Lafayette National Park

The name was changed in 1919 to Lafayette National Park (40 Stat. 1173). The text of that law is as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the tracts of land, easements, and other real estate heretofore known as the Sieur de Monts National Monument,situation on Mount Desert Island, in the county of Hancock and State of Maine, established and designated as a national monument under the Act of June eighth, nineteen hundred and six, entitled "An Act for the preservation of American antiquities," by presidential proclamation of July eight, nineteen hundred and sixteen, is hereby declared to be a national park and dedicated as a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people under the name of Lafayette National Park, under which name the aforesaid national park shall be entitled to receive and to use all moneys heretofore or hereafter appropriated for Sieur de Monts National Monument.

Sec. 2. That the administration, protection, and promotion of said Lafayette National Park shall be exercised under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the provision of the Act of August twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, entitled "An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes," and Acts additional thereto or amendatory thereof.

Section 3. That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized in his discretion, to accept in behalf of the United States such other property on said Mount Desert Island, including lands, easements, buildings, and moneys, as may be donated for the extension or improvement of said park.

Approved, February 26, 1919

 

1929 - Name Change to Acadia National Park

The January 19, 1929 law PL 70-667 (45 Stat. 1083) changed the park name to Acadia National Park. The text for that law is as follows:

Chap 77. -- An Act To provide for the extension of the boundary limits of the Lafayette National Park in the State of Maine and for the change of name of said park to the Acadia National Park.

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 be, and he is hereby, authorized, in his discretion, to accept in behalf of the United States lands, easements, and buildings, as may be donated for the extension of the Lafayette National Park, lying within the bounds of Hancock County within which the park is situation, together with such islands in Knox County adjoining, as lie to the east and south of the Main ship channel through Penobscot Bay, which complete the archipelago of which Mount Desert Island, whereon the park is situation, forms the dominant and largest unit.

Sec 2. That the area now within Lafayette National Park, together with such additions as may hereafter be made thereto, shall be known as the Acadia National Park, under which name the aforesaid national park shall be entitled to receive and to use all moneys heretofore or hereafter appropriated for the Lafayette National Park: Provided, That the provisions of the Act of June 10, 1920, entitled "An Act to create a Federal Power Commission, to provide for the improvement of navigation, thedevelopment of water power, the use of public lands in relation thereto, and to repeal section 18 of the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act, approved August 8, 1917, and for other purposes," shall not apply to or extend to any lands now or hereafter included in said park .

Approved, January 19, 1929.