[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 160 (Thursday, August 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42103-42104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19974]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: The Public Museum, Grand Rapids, 
MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of The Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Kent 
County, MI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by The Public Museum's professional staff in 
consultation with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; and 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from an unknown location in Kent County, MI. On 
June 16, 1962, the human remains were obtained by Ruth Herrick from 
Bert Chaffee. In 1974, the human remains were obtained by The Public 
Museum from Ruth Herrick by bequest. No known individual was 
identified. The three associated funerary objects are one strike-a-
light, one fish vertebrae, and one perforated bone.
    The context from which the human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed is unknown.
    Based on artifact typology, the human remains and associated 
funerary objects date to the 18th century. The objects were found 
stored together with human remains and are consistent with other 18th 
century funerary objects found in Kent County during the historic 
occupation of the Ottawa.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of four 
individuals were removed from the N. Franklin Avenue site (20KT109) in 
Grandville, Kent County, MI. The site was inadvertently discovered by 
construction workers and reported by E.V. Gillis in The Coffinberry 
News Bulletin of the Michigan Archaeological Society in 1962. In 1963, 
the human remains were donated to The Public Museum by the City of 
Grandville. No known individuals were identified. The 23 associated 
funerary objects are 1 wooden spoon, 1 wooden spoon fragment, 1 metal 
knife, 1 iron fragment, 1 metal razor, 1 metal handle fragment, 1 
strike-a-light, 1 copper tube bead, 1 clam shell, 1 set of bird bones, 
1 set of iron fragments with fabric adhering, 1 iron axe, 1 set of nail 
fragments, 1 birch bark basket fragment, 1 copper mirror frame, 1copper 
pot with fabric adhering, 1 fabric fragment, 1 glass fragment, 4 copper 
kettles, and 1 set of brooch pins.
    Based on artifact typology, the human remains and associated 
funerary objects date to the 18th and 19th centuries.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from underneath Cook's bridge over the 
Thornapple River at Cascade Township site (20KT18), Kent County, MI. In 
1925, the human remains were donated to The Public Museum by W.H. 
Patterson. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Physical examination identified the human remains as Native 
American. Funerary objects found at the site are consistent with those 
objects frequently found in Native American burials from the 18th 
century, although none of the funerary objects are present in the 
museum's collection.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from 185 Ottawa (site 20KT109) in Grandville, 
Kent County, MI. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
uncovered by the property owner's children while digging in their yard. 
In 1949, the human remains were donated to The Public Museum by the 
property owners, Jan and James Buddingh. No known individual was 
identified. The 231 associated funerary objects are 1 copper armband, 1 
carved antler handle, 1 bone awl, 1 copper thimble, 1 copper kettle, 1 
set of iron fragments, 1 set of wood fragments, 1 set of textile 
fragments, 2 sets of wood fragments with textile adhering, 1 wooden 
spoon fragment, 209 trade beads, 6 metal earrings, 2 metal rings, 1 
metal brooch pin, 1 set of gravels, and 1 set of copper fragments.
    Based on artifact typology, the human remains and associated 
funerary objects date to the 18th and 19th century. The associated 
funerary objects are consistent with other funerary objects found in 
the area of Grandville, MI, during the historic occupation of the 
Ottawa.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the Warner farm site (20KT20), located on 
the Grand River, west of Ada and on the north side of M-21, Kent 
County, MI. In 1974, The Public Museum obtained the human remains from 
Ruth Herrick by bequest. No known individual was identified. Stored 
with the individual were associated funerary objects that are in 
groupings of uncounted fragments. The seven associated funerary object 
groupings are two lots of pottery shard fragments, three lots of animal 
bone fragments, one lot of fire cracked rock fragments, and one lot of 
other stone fragments.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects from the Warner 
farm site date from the Late Woodland period to A.D. 1850. Based on the 
site's geographical location at the confluence of the Grand and 
Thornapple Rivers, archeological evidence indicates this

[[Page 42104]]

site was intermittently occupied from prehistoric times into the 
historic era.
    All of the human remains and associated funerary objects described 
above from the Kent County sites are, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, culturally affiliated with the present-day Federally-
recognized Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan, whose 
ancestors include the Grand River Ottawa Bands. The historic occupation 
of Kent County, MI, by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is well 
documented.
    Officials of The Public Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the 
physical remains of eight individuals of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of The Public Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 264 associated funerary objects described 
above are reasonably believed to have been placed with or near 
individual remains at the time of death or later as part of the death 
rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of The Public Museum have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Collections and 
Preservation, The Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand Rapids, MI 
49504, telephone (616) 456-3521, before September 21, 2009. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Public Museum is responsible for notifying the Grand Traverse 
Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little River Band of 
Ottawa Indians, Michigan; and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa 
Indians, Michigan that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 24, 2009.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-19974 Filed 8-19-09; 8:45 am]
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