Notice2025-10595
Notice of Intended Repatriation: The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY
Primary source
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Published
June 11, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Filson Historical Society intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 111 (Wednesday, June 11, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 111 (Wednesday, June 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 24657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10595]
[[Page 24657]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040325; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: The Filson Historical Society,
Louisville, KY
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Filson Historical Society intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of
unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after July 11, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice to Kelly Hyberger, The Filson Historical Society, 1310
South 3rd Street, Louisville, KY 40208, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9bf0f3e2f9fee9fcfee9dbfdf2f7e8f4f5f3f2e8eff4e9f2f8faf7b5f4e9fc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="771c1f0e15120510120537111e1b0418191f1e040318051e14161b59180510">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
Filson Historical Society, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 123 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The 123 unassociated funerary objects are one adz, one bone awl, six
grooved axes, three bannerstones, one lot of beads, one sandstone bowl,
26 stone celts, three discoidals, five gorgets, one stone hoe, three
stone mauls, one stone cylinder fragment, 26 stone pestles, three stone
pipes, two fragmented pipes, 19 spearheads, two scrapers, one sinker,
one ceramic bowl, one lot of axes, one lot of celts and chisels, one
lots of unidentified clay implements, one lot of stone drills, one lot
of hammerstones, one lot of hemisphere stones, one lots of hoes, one
lot of stone knives, one lot of lap stones, one lot of stone mauls, one
lot of midden material, one lot of pestles, one lot of points, one lot
of polishing sinkers, one lot of scrapers, one lot of stone sinkers,
and one lot of stone tools.
Of the unassociated funeral objects requested, 106 were donated to
the Filson by Otto Rothert in 1929. At various dates prior to 1929,
Rothert collected these items from mound sites throughout Muhlenberg
County, KY.
Of the unassociated funerary objects requests, 17 lots of items
consist of co-mingled material removed from various undocumented sites
across Kentucky, including material collected by Rothert from mound
sites in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.
Determinations
The Filson Historical Society has determined that:
<bullet> The 123 unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe
or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after July 11, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Filson Historical Society must determine
the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for
joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single
request and not competing requests. The Filson Historical Society is
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and
Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and to any
other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: May 28, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-10595 Filed 6-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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