This bill establishes the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park in Illinois to preserve and interpret the region's significant French Colonial heritage and multi-ethnic history. The park will encompass historic structures including Fort de Chartres, the Creole House, Pierre Menard Home, the ASC Convent, and portions of Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site, spanning approximately 22 square miles in southwestern Illinois. The Secretary of the Interior will administer the park and is authorized to acquire properties through donation, purchase, or exchange, develop an interpretive visitor center complex at the ASC Convent, and enter into cooperative agreements with state and local partners including the State of Illinois, Randolph County, and the Village of Prairie du Rocher. The bill also authorizes the Secretary to accept donations and make grants to park partners for projects that support the park's educational and preservation purposes. The legislation recognizes the historical importance of the area as a former western boundary of the United States and highlights the contributions of enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, religious women, and early colonists to the region's development.
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