Notice2025-19960

Notice of Inventory Completion: Bixby Memorial Free Library, Vergennes, VT

Primary source

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Published
November 17, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Bixby Memorial Free Library has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 219 (Monday, November 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 219 (Monday, November 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51400-51401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-19960]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041247; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Bixby Memorial Free Library, 
Vergennes, VT

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 Bixby Memorial Free Library has 
completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there 
is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or 
after December 17, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
in this notice to Miranda Degreenia, Bixby Memorial Free Library, 258 
Main Street, Vergennes, VT 05491, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9c4c0dbc8c7cdc887cdcccedbccccc7c0c8e9cbc0d1cbd0c5c0cbdbc8dbd087c6dbce"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="82efebf0e3ece6e3ace6e7e5f0e7e7ecebe3c2e0ebfae0fbeeebe0f0e3f0fbacedf0e5">[email&#160;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 
Bixby Memorial Free Library, and additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Sometime before 
1968, two human remains were removed from Bristol, VT. The Bixby 
Memorial Free Library does not have documentation of how these items 
were removed from Bristol, VT or any subsequent transfers, but these 
items came into our possession when they were given to the library by 
Ernst Bilhuber, a Euro-American collector of Native American objects 
throughout the country and resident of the Vergennes area, in 1968. 
Bristol, VT is within the Stockbridge-Munsee Community's cultural area 
of interest and documented historical area and is the only Federally-
recognized Tribal Nation with NAGPRA standing. The Bixby Memorial Free 
Library does not have any documentation to indicate any potentially 
hazardous substances were used to treat any of the human remains.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains described in this 
notice.

Determinations

    The Bixby Memorial Free Library has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the human remains described 
in this notice and the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this 
notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this 
notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a 
requestor

[[Page 51401]]

may occur on or after December 17, 2025. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Bixby Memorial Free Library must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains are considered a 
single request and not competing requests. The Bixby Memorial Free 
Library is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian 
Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and 
any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: September 25, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-19960 Filed 11-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on November 17, 2025.

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