16 U.S.C. § 410www: Establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park

In order to protect and interpret for the benefit, inspiration, and education of present and future generations the places where Martin Luther King, Junior, was born, where he lived, worked, and worshipped, and where he is buried, there is hereby established the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in the State of Georgia. The national historical park shall consist of that real property in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, within the boundary generally depicted on the map entitled “Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Proposed Boundary Revision”, numbered 489/128,786 and dated June 2015, together with the property known as 234 Sunset Avenue, Northwest. The map referred to in this subsection shall be on file and available for public inspection in the local and Washington, District of Columbia offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. In furtherance of the purposes of this subchapter, there is hereby established the Martin Luther King, Junior, Preservation District, which shall consist of the area identified as “Preservation District” in the map referred to in subsection (a) of this section. Public Law 96–438 [probably means 96–428, enacting this subchapter] established the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site [now Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park], and allows acquisition, by donation only, of lands owned by the State. The National Park Service owns a vacant lot that has no historic significance. The City of Atlanta has expressed interest in acquiring this property to encourage commercial development along Edgewood Avenue. The National Historic Site Visitor Center and Museum is land-locked and has no emergency ingress or egress, making it virtually impossible for firefighting equipment to reach. The acquisition of city-owned property would enable the National Park Service to establish easy street access to the National Historic Site Visitor Center and Museum, and would benefit the City by exchanging a piece of property that the City could develop. The purpose of this Act [see Short Title of 2004 Amendment note above] is to authorize the exchange of certain lands within the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site for lands owned by the City of Atlanta, Georgia.”