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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§410aa–1 Lands and Property

Title 16 › Chapter 1— NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter LVIII— VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 410aa–1

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The park is made up of the area shown on the June 1979 map titled "Valley Forge National Historical Park" (map VF–91,001), which is kept at the National Park Service office in Washington, DC and at the park superintendent’s office. The Secretary may make small boundary changes by publishing a new map or description in the Federal Register after telling the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources in writing. Inside the park, the Secretary can accept land by donation, buy land with donated or appropriated money, trade for land, or get land by transfer. Land owned by Pennsylvania or its local governments can only be taken by donation, and that donation cannot take effect before October 1, 1976. Owners of qualifying houses (a detached, noncommercial home started before January 1, 1975, plus enough surrounding land and any accessory buildings the Secretary allows) who own the improved property when the Secretary acquires it may keep the right to live there for up to 25 years or until the death of the owner or the owner’s spouse (whichever is later). The owner chooses the option. If the property is not donated, the Secretary pays fair market value minus the value of the retained right. The Secretary can end a retained right if it is used in a way that does not fit the park’s purposes, and must pay the fair market value of the unused portion of that right.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §410aa–1

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The park shall comprise the area generally depicted on the map entitled “Valley Forge National Historical Park”, dated June 1979, and numbered VF–91,001, which shall be on file and available for inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, District of Columbia, and in the offices of the superintendent of the park. After advising the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, in writing, the Secretary may make minor revisions of the boundaries of the park when necessary by publication of a revised map or other boundary description in the Federal Register.
(b)Within the boundaries of the park, the Secretary may acquire lands and interests therein by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, exchange, or transfer. Any property owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any political subdivision thereof may be acquired only by donation. The effective date of such donation shall not be prior to October 1, 1976.
(c)Except for property deemed by the Secretary to be essential for visitor facilities, or for access to or administration of the park, any owner or owners of improved property on the date of its acquisition by the Secretary may, as a condition of such acquisition, retain for themselves and their successors or assigns a right of use and occupancy of the improved property for noncommercial residential purposes for a definite term not to exceed twenty-five years, or in lieu thereof, for a term ending at the death of the owner, or the death of his or her spouse, whichever is the later. The owner shall elect the term to be reserved. Unless the property is wholly or partially donated, the Secretary shall pay to the owner the fair market value of the property on the date of such acquisition, less the fair market value on such date of the right retained by the owner.
(d)The Secretary may terminate a right of use and occupancy retained pursuant to this section upon his determination that such use and occupancy is being exercised in a manner not consistent with the purposes of this subchapter, and upon tender to the holder of the right of an amount equal to the fair market value of that portion of the right which remains unexpired on the date of termination.
(e)The term “improved property”, as used in this section shall mean a detached, noncommercial residential dwelling, the construction of which was begun before January 1, 1975 (hereafter referred to as “dwelling”), together with so much of the land on which the dwelling is situated, the said land being in the same ownership as the dwelling, as the Secretary shall designate to be reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of the dwelling for the sole purpose of noncommercial residential use, together with any structures accessory to the dwelling which are situated on the land so designated.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives” for “Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States Congress”. 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–287 substituted reference to park area as depicted on map “dated June 1979, and numbered VF–91,001” for prior depiction on map “dated February 1976, and numbered VF–91,000”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 410aa–1

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60