The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources passed U.S. Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) legislation to designate America’s National Churchill Museum as a National Historic Landmark.
“Nearly 80 years ago, Sir Winston Churchill marked the beginning of the Cold War with his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in Fulton, Missouri. I am proud to honor one of the world’s greatest leaders, and one of America’s closest allies, with this legislation,” Senator Hawley said at the time of the bill’s introduction.
The museum, located on the Westminster College campus in Fulton, Missouri, was the site of Churchill’s famous words, “From Stettin in the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent” on March 5, 1946. In the 1960s to honor the 20th anniversary of Churchill’s visit, Westminster College imported a 17th-century church from London to Fulton. The church of St. Mary Aldermanbury was moved stone-by-stone to Westminster’s campus. Reconstruction was completed in 1969 and is today’s location of the museum.
The America’s National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act would:
- Direct the Secretary of Interior to establish America’s National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Missouri as a National Historic Landmark. A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. There are currently over 2,600 National Historic Landmarks in the United States, including 37 in Missouri.
- Direct the National Park Service to conduct a Special Resource Study to consider future potential designations for the site. Before enacting a law to add a unit, Congress often first enacts a law requiring NPS to conduct a Special Resource Study (SRS) of the area, typically to assess its national significance, suitability and feasibility, and management options.
Senator Hawley originally introduced this legislation in June. Read the full bill text here.