Notice2026-00672
Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of the Cherokee People, Cherokee, NC
Primary source
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Published
January 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1805-1806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00672]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6864; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041842; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of the Cherokee People,
Cherokee, NC
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 Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP)
has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary
objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between
the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after February 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Evan Mathis, Museum
of the Cherokee People, P.O. Box 1599, 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee, NC
28719, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5633203738783b37223e3f25163b3922352678392431"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="325744535c1c5f53465a5b41725f5d4651421c5d4055">[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
Museum of the Cherokee People, 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 ancestral remains representing, at least, one individual has
been identified from an unknown archaeological site referred to as
``Cherokee Lake.'' A total of 115 associated funerary objects are
present with this induvial, including 83 pot sherds, two rocks, six
lithic flakes, six charcoal flakes, five pieces of shatter material, a
complete calcaneus, a partial metapodial, six pieces of burned animal
bone, and five pieces of burned turtle shell. The unknown
archaeological site is situated in an undisclosed ``Cherokee Lake.''
The undisclosed ``Cherokee Lake'' is most likely one of two locations.
One ``Cherokee Lake'' is an artificial lake near Murphy, Cherokee
County, North Carolina (an artificially dammed tributary of the
Hiawassee River). The other ``Cherokee Lake,'' also referred to as
``Cherokee Reservoir,'' is an artificial lake in Jefferson County,
Grainger County, Hamblen County, and Hawkins County in Tennessee
(artificially dammed Holston River and its tributaries). After
completing the consultation process with federally recognized Tribal
Nations, this unknown site is culturally affiliated with the Cherokee
Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Muscogee (Creek)
Nation, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. This
individual was removed from the unknown ``Cherokee Lake'' site in the
mid-1960s by the unnamed father of Charles H. Powell of Bristol,
Tennessee. Charles H. Powell transferred this individual to the Museum
of the Cherokee People on January 4th, 1997, where they have been
housed since. To our knowledge, no hazardous substances were used to
treat any of the human ancestral 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 and associated
funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The Museum of the Cherokee People has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 115 objects described in this notice are reasonably
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite
or ceremony.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Cherokee
Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation;
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma.
[[Page 1806]]
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after February
17, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the
Museum of the Cherokee People must determine the most appropriate
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the
human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single
request and not competing requests. The Museum of the Cherokee People
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: January 9, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-00672 Filed 1-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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