Volume 49 · 394
Public Law 74–283
To provide for the establishment of the Big Bend National Park in the State of Texas, and for other purposes.
Approved June 20, 1935
Statutory text
AN ACT
To provide for the establishment of the Big Bend National Park in the State of Texas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That when title to
Big Bend National Park, Tex.
Establishment.
such lands as may be determined by the Secretary of the Interior as necessary for recreational park purposes within the boundaries to be determined by him within the area of approximately one million five hundred thousand acres, in the counties of Brewster and Presidio, in the State of Texas, known as the “Big Ben” area, shall have been vested in the United States, such lands shall be, and are hereby, established, dedicated, and set apart as a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people and shall be known as the “Big Bend National Park”: Provided, That the United States shall not
Proviso.
Lands secured by donation only.
purchase by appropriation of public moneys any land within the aforesaid area, but such lands shall be secured by the United States only by public and private donations.
Sec. 2.
The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized, in his discretion and upon submission of evidence of title satisfactory to him, to accept, on behalf of the United States, title to the lands referred to in the previous section hereof as may be deemed by him necessary or desirable for national-park purposes: Provided, That
Proviso.
Exclusive jurisdiction required.
no land for said park shall be accepted until exclusive jurisdiction over the entire area, in form satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior, shall have been ceded by the State of Texas to the United States.
Sec. 3.
The administration, protection, and development of the aforesaid park shall be exercised under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the
Vol. 39, p. 535; U. S. C., p. 591.
provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”,
Proviso.
Water Power Act not applicable.
Vol. 41, p. 1063; U. S. C., p. 694.
as amended: Provided, That the provisions of the Act of June 10, 1920, known as the “Federal Water Power Act”, shall not apply to this park.
Approved, June 20, 1935.