Notice2026-00063
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Wilson Museum, Castine, ME
Primary source
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Published
January 7, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Wilson Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred 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 91 Issue 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 530-531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00063]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6832; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041693; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Wilson Museum, Castine, ME
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 Wilson Museum intends to repatriate
certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred 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 February 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Abby Dunham, Wilson Museum, PO Box
196, 120 Perkins Street, Castine, ME 04421, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3d4f584d5c494f545c495452537d4a54514e525350484e58485013524f5a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e69483968792948f87928f8988a6918f8a9589888b939583938bc8899481">[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
Wilson Museum, 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 eight cultural items has been requested for repatriation
consisting of eight sacred objects.
One sacred object is a pair of beaded moccasins acquired by Helen
Bemis Hovey in Arizona ca. 1910-1920, donated to the museum by Nancy
Angers in 1985.
One sacred object is a pair of beaded and quilled hide medicine
bags acquired by Helen Bemis Hovey in Arizona ca. 1910-1920, donated by
Nancy Angers in 1985.
One sacred object is a quilled and beaded cradle hood acquired by
Helen Bemis Hovey in Arizona ca. 1910-1920, donated by Nancy Angers in
1985.
Two sacred objects are beaded cradleboard covers, possibly acquired
by Dr. Carlotta Maury ca. 1893 at an unknown location in the Plains
region.
One sacred object is a hide and horsehair rattle, collected by an
unknown individual at an unknown date and location, identified in
museum records as ``Plains Indian (Sioux).''
One sacred object is a beaded and quilled hide pipe bag, collected
by an unknown individual at an unknown date and location.
One sacred object is a beaded and quilled knife sheath acquired by
Helen Bemis Hovey in Arizona ca. 1910-1920, donated by Nancy Angers in
1985.
Determinations
The Wilson Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The eight sacred objects described in this notice are
specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional Native American
religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional
Native American religion, according to the Native American traditional
knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck
Indian Reservation, Montana.
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 February 6, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Wilson Museum 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 Wilson Museum 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.
[[Page 531]]
Dated: December 18, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-00063 Filed 1-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 7, 2026.
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