Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§262 Total area; consent of Congress to acquisition of lands and property and transfer thereof to United States

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XXVIII— - CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 262

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Set the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park at 6,000 acres at minimum and 50,000 acres at maximum; land can be added only within those limits. Land inside the city limits of Middlesboro and Pineville, Kentucky, and Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, will be left out if city officials tell the Secretary of the Interior before the park is created that they need it. Congress allows Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia to buy and transfer those properties to the United States and may change or repeal this.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §262

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The total area of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, as determined pursuant to this subchapter, shall comprise not less than six thousand acres and shall not exceed fifty thousand acres, and lands may be added to the park following its establishment within the aforesaid limitations. The park shall not include any land within the city limits of Middlesboro and Pineville, Kentucky; Cumberland Gap, Tennessee; which the proper officials thereof shall indicate to the Secretary of the Interior prior to the establishment of said park are required for expansion of said cities.

(a)The consent of Congress is given to the States of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia to enter into a compact providing for (1) the acquisition of the lands, structures, and other property in the Cumberland Gap-Cumberland Ford areas referred to in section 261 of this title, and (2) the transfer of title to such lands, structures, and other property to the United States.

(b)The right to alter, amend, or repeal this section is expressly reserved.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1943—Act May 26, 1943, among other changes, inserted minimum acreage limitation in first par. and added pars. (a) and (b).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 262

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73