Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§211 Acceptance of title; terms and conditions; admission fees

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XXIII— - ABRAHAM LINCOLN BIRTHPLACE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 211

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States accepts ownership of the land and buildings described in the deed made April 11, 1916 by the Lincoln Farm Association and held by the Secretary of War on July 17, 1916. These lands are near Hodgenville in Larue County, Kentucky, and include the log cabin where Abraham Lincoln was born and the memorial hall around it. The property must be kept forever as a national park or reservation. The United States must protect and preserve the site, especially the cabin and memorial hall, from damage, destruction, or further decay. No fee may ever be charged to the public for admission.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §211

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The United States of America accepts title to the lands mentioned in the deed of gift or conveyance in possession of the Secretary of War on July 17, 1916, together with all the buildings and appurtenances thereon, especially the log cabin in which Abraham Lincoln was born and the memorial hall inclosing the same, which deed of conveyance was executed on the 11th day of April, 1916, by the Lincoln Farm Association, a corporation, to the United States of America, describing certain lands situated near the town of Hodgenville, county of Larue, State of Kentucky, which lands are more particularly identified and described in said deed or conveyance. The title to such lands, buildings, and appurtenances is accepted upon the terms and conditions stated in said deed or conveyance, namely: That the land therein described, together with the buildings and appurtenances thereon, shall be forever dedicated to the purposes of a national park or reservation, the United States of America agreeing to protect and preserve the said lands, buildings, and appurtenances, and especially the log cabin in which Abraham Lincoln was born and the memorial hall inclosing the same, from spoliation, destruction, and further disintegration, to the end that they may be preserved for all time, so far as may be; and further agreeing that there shall never be any charge or fee made to or asked from the public for admission to the said park or reservation.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, c. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued military Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Transfer of control of Abraham Lincoln National Park [now Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park] to the Office of National Parks, Buildings and Reservations in the Department of the Interior, see section 2 of Ex. Ord. No. 6166, June 10, 1933, set out as a note under section 901 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. This office was designated the National Park Service in the Department of the Interior by act Mar. 2, 1934, ch. 38, 48 Stat. 389.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 211

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73