[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63885-63886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27394]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Oshkosh Public 
Museum, Oshkosh, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of the Oshkosh Public Museum, 
Oshkosh, WI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by Oshkosh Public Museum professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Menominee Indian Tribe of 
Wisconsin.
    In 1961, human remains representing three individuals were removed 
during excavations at the Riverside Site (20-ME-1), Menominee County, 
MI by Oshkosh Public Museum staff Robert Hruska. No known individuals 
were identified. The four associated funerary objects include copper 
beads, bifaces, and fiber fragments.
    The remains of one of the three individuals are cremated. The 
Riverside Site is a multi-component cemetery and habitation site. 
Intermittent occupation of the site spans a time period circa 1000 
B.C.-A.D. 1850. On the basis of the four associated funerary objects, 
these cremated remains are dated to the earliest occupation of the 
Riverside Site. The stylistic attributes of the copper objects are 
characteristic of the Red Ochre Culture, an archeologically defined 
culture within the Archaic Period, dated to 1000-400 B.C. Oral history 
sources identify the mouth of Green Bay, WI, where the Riverside Site 
is located, as the emergence area for the Menominee people.
    The remains of two of the three individuals were removed from 
Feature A. Funerary objects date this burial feature to the 18th and 
19th centuries. These objects, not in the possession of the Oshkosh 
Public Museum, consist of glass beads, a kettle brass bracelet, and a 
ceramic vessel.
    In 1964, human remains representing 1 individual and 31 associated 
funerary objects were removed during excavations conducted by the 
Wisconsin Archaeological Society from the Potato Rapids Burial Site 
(47-Mt-79), Peshtigo, Marinette County, WI. These remains and objects 
were donated to the Oshkosh Public Museum by the Wisconsin 
Archaeological Society at an unknown date after 1964. No known 
individual was identified. The associated funerary objects include an 
iron axe, two bone beads, wampum beads, seed beadwork, a metal bowl, 
five silver bracelets, four silver brooches, six silver buttons, one 
metal can, one comb, one silver crescent, two silver earrings, three 
gunflints, one clay pipe, fabric, and fiber remains. The associated 
funerary objects are trade items consistent with materials owned by 
Menominee people circa A.D. 1830-1850.
    The Potato Rapids Burial Site is located within the area occupied 
by the Menominee Indians in the 19th century.
    Circa 1936, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from the Robert Grignon Trading Post Site (47-Wn-137), Winnebago, WI by 
Oshkosh Public Museum staff Arthur Kannenberg. Documentation indicates 
that the tombstone that marked this burial identified the remains as 
those of ``Mary/wife of/Robert Grignon/died Dec 24, 1851/age/37 
years.'' The remains were, reportedly, re-buried in the same grave 
except for two vertebrae and two teeth that are now in the possession 
of the Oshkosh Public Museum. A contemporaneous account of the 
excavation of the grave identified Mary Grignon as the daughter of a 
full-blooded Menominee chief. Other historical sources indicate that 
her Menominee name is Wak-nau-go-lak. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    Oral history indicates that the Riverside Site is located in the 
prehistoric traditional territory of the Menominee people. Historical 
evidence indicates that both the Potato Rapids Burial Site and the 19th 
century component of the Riverside Site were located within the 
historically documented 19th century Menominee territory at the time of 
occupation. Historical evidence provides likely personal identification 
and cultural affiliation for one of the individuals. There is no 
evidence to contradict these findings.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Oshkosh 
Public Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the 
human remains described above represent the physical remains of five 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Oshkosh 
Public Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(2), the 35 objects listed above are reasonably believed to have 
been placed with or near individual human remains at the time of death 
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony. While the likely 
identity of one of the individuals reported in this notice has been 
determined, officials of the Oshkosh Public Museum have not been able 
to trace a direct and unbroken line of descent to a particular 
individual, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (b)(1). Lastly, officials of the 
Oshkosh Public Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(e), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be 
reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Menominee Indian Tribe of 
Wisconsin.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Bad River Band of the 
Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, 
Wisconsin; Boise Fort Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Indians; Fond du Lac Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Grand Portage 
Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community 
of L'Anse & Ontonagon Bands of Chippewa Indians of the L'Anse 
Reservation, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation of Wisconsin; 
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; 
Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Menominee Indian Tribe 
of Wisconsin; Mille Lacs Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Red Cliff 
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Sokoagon Chippewa 
Community of the Mole Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Wisconsin; St. 
Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, St. Croix Reservation;

[[Page 63886]]

Stockbridge-Munsee Community of Mohican Indians of Wisconsin; White 
Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; and Hannahville Indian 
Community of Wisconsin Potawatomi Indians of Michigan. Representatives 
of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally 
affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary objects 
should contact Joan Lloyd, Registrar, Oshkosh Public Museum, 1331 
Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, WI 54901, telephone (920) 424-4747, before 
November 24, 2000. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin may begin 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: October 6, 2000.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 00-27394 Filed 10-24-00; 8:45 am]
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