[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32840-32841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15308]


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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 Control of the U.S. Department 
of the Interior, National Park Service, Gulf Islands National Seashore, 
Gulf Breeze, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

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 control of the U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Gulf Breeze, FL.
    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 
National Park Service unit that has control or possession of these 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects. The 
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships, is 
not responsible for the determinations within this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by National Park Service professional staff in 
consultation with the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; 
Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of 
North Carolina; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw 
Indians, Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town of the Creek Indian Nation, 
Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; Mississippi Band of 
Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma; 
Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; 
Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & 
Tampa Reservations; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town of the Creek Nation, 
Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana; and United Keetoowah 
Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma. The Shawnee Tribe, also known 
also as the ``Loyal Shawnee'' or ``Cherokee Shawnee,'' a non-Federally 
recognized Native American group at the time that they were consulted, 
has since been recognized as eligible for the special programs and 
services provided by the United States to Indians because of their 
status as Indians under provisions of P.L. 106-568.
    In 1960, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
during legally-authorized excavations by Charles Fairbanks at the Fort 
Walton Temple Mound site. Mr. Fairbanks reported the results of his 
excavation in The Florida Anthropologist in 1965. The Fort Walton 
Temple Mound site is located on land acquired by the city of Fort 
Walton Beach, FL, in 1959. In 1981, the human remains were donated to 
the National Park Service by Yulee Lazarus, curator of the Fort Walton 
Temple Mound Museum. No known individual was identified. No funerary 
objects are identified. The human remains are currently curated at the 
National Park Service's Southeast Archeological Center in Tallahassee, 
FL.
    The Fort Walton Temple Mound site consists of a large platform 
mound and associated settlement area. Archeological evidence indicates 
that the Fort Walton Mound site was occupied during the Mississipian 
period (A.D. 900-1550), and may have served as the capital town of the 
Pensacola polity during the late Mississippian period (A.D. 1200 to 
1550) and the early European contact period (A.D. 1550 to 1700). The 
first European (Spanish) contact in this area occurred in the middle to 
late 16th century with members of the Chatot tribe. Historical evidence 
indicates that between A.D. 1695 and 1707 the Creek Indians overran the 
Chatot tribe and took over the area around Fort Walton. Remnants of the 
Chatot tribe are believed to have joined the Choctaw tribe, although 
some Chatot probably remained with the Creeks.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, the superintendent of 
Gulf Islands National Seashore has determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 
10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical 
remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. The 
superintendent of Gulf Islands National Seashore also has determined 
that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship of shared 
group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; 
Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; 
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; Seminole 
Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, 
Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Absentee-Shawnee 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas; 
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma; 
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Eastern Band of 
Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; Mississippi Band of 
Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch 
Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole 
Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa 
Reservations; Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana; and United Keetoowah 
Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma. This notice also was sent to the 
Independent Traditional Seminole Nation of Florida, a non-Federally 
recognized Indian group. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
should contact Jerry A. Eubanks, Superintendent, Gulf Islands National 
Seashore, 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, telephone 
(850) 934-2604, before July 18, 2001. Repatriation of the human remains 
to the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; Mississippi 
Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, 
Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 
Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma 
may begin after the date if no additional claimants come forward.


[[Page 32841]]


    Dated: May 21, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-15308 Filed 6-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F