Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§426i Protection of monuments, etc.

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER LX— - NATIONAL MILITARY PARKS › § 426i

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Anyone who on purpose damages or takes away monuments, statues, memorials, fences, railings, enclosures, trees, shrubs, timber, battle relics, or old military defenses (like earthworks or walls) on a battlefield is breaking the law. Taking or cutting these things is not allowed unless the Secretary of the Interior gives permission. If someone is found guilty in court, it is a misdemeanor. They must pay a fine of at least $5 and at most $100 for each offense.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §426i

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

If any person shall willfully destroy, mutilate, deface, injure, or remove any monument, column, statue, memorial structure, or work of art that shall be erected or placed upon the grounds of the battlefield by lawful authority, or shall willfully destroy or remove any fence, railing, inclosure, or other work for the protection or ornament of said battlefield, or any portion thereof; or shall willfully destroy, cut, hack, bark, break down, or otherwise injure any tree, bush, or shrubbery that may be growing upon said battlefield, or shall cut down or fell or remove any timber, battle relic, tree, or trees growing or being upon such battlefield, except by permission of the Secretary of the Interior, or shall willfully remove or destroy any breastworks, earthworks, walls, or other defenses or shelter, or any part thereof, constructed by the armies formerly engaged in the battle on the lands or approaches to the battlefield, any person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction, shall for each and every such offense be fined not less than $5 nor more than $100.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Battlefield” substituted in text for “park” in view of redesignation of Stones River National Military Park as Stones River National Battlefield by Pub. L. 86–443. See section 426l of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Transfer of administrative functions of park, see note set out under section 426 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 426i

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73