Notice2026-04046
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California Department of Parks and Recreation, Sacramento, CA
Primary source
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Published
March 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California Department of Parks and Recreation intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony 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 40 (Monday, March 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 40 (Monday, March 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10124-10126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04046]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6961; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042095; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California Department of Parks
and Recreation, Sacramento, CA
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 California Department of Parks and
Recreation intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the
definition of objects of cultural patrimony 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 April 1, 2026
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Dr. Leslie L. Hartzell, NAGPRA
Coordinator, California Department of Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box
942896, Sacramento, CA 94296-0001, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9f5dccad5d0dc97f1d8cbcdc3dcd5d5f9c9d8cbd2ca97dad897ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="703c15031c19155e381102040a151c1c300011021b035e13115e171f06">[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
California Department of Parks and Recreation, 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 140 lots of cultural items have been requested for
repatriation.
The 58 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone
artifacts, groundstone artifacts, hammerstones, modified bone, organic
ecofacts, petroglyph, pottery artifacts, shell bead necklace, shell
beads, stone ecofacts, stone marker, and wood artifacts. Some
[[Page 10125]]
of the cultural items are physically attached to display mounts.
Between 1928 and 1979, Howard Arden Edwards and Grace Wilcox Oliver
acquired the cultural items from multiple locations in southern
California: Alkali Springs, Barrel Springs, Big Rock Creek, Fairmont,
Tameobit (Lovejoy Springs), Moody Springs, the Palmdale area, Pinnacle
Butte, and Piute Butte, in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles
County; Indian Meadows in the Littlerock Canyon/Littlerock Creek area
in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County; the Antelope
Valley in northern Los Angeles County and southeastern Kern County; the
Muroc area on what is now Edwards Air Force Base, and the Rosamond area
in the Antelope Valley in southeastern Kern County; the San Bernardino
area in San Bernardino County; the Barstow area, the Black Mountain
area, the Cronese Valley, Indian Springs in Superior Valley, and
Newberry Springs in northwest San Bernardino County; and Vasquez Rocks
in Agua Dulce in northern Los Angeles County. State Parks records do
not indicate which items Edwards and Oliver removed from sites
themselves and which items were removed by others. On June 25, 1979,
Grace Wilcox Oliver transferred the cultural items to the California
Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR). (ACCN.082-309 and ACCN.498-
1)
The 12 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are modified bone,
soil samples, organic ecofacts, stone ecofacts, fire-affected rocks,
flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, hammerstones, pottery
artifacts, modified shell, shell beads, and historic items. Some of the
cultural items are physically attached to display mounts. The cultural
items were removed from Tameobit (Lovejoy Springs) in the Antelope
Valley in northern Los Angeles County, California. Between 1928 and
1979, Howard Arden Edwards and Grace Wilcox Oliver acquired items
removed from the site by an unknown individual at an unknown date. In
1954, the Archaeological Survey Association removed items from the
site. In 1989, Bruce Love and Cerro Coso College removed items from the
site. In 1990-1991, Bruce Love removed items from the site. On June 25,
1979, Grace Wilcox Oliver transferred the cultural items acquired by
Edwards and Oliver, as well as the cultural items removed by the
Archaeological Survey Association, to CDPR. On January 17, 2017, Bruce
Love transferred the cultural items he removed with Cerro Coso College
and on his own to CDPR . (ACCN.498-81 and ACCN.082-309)
The 22 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are bone fragments,
fire-affected rocks, flaked stone artifacts, fossils, groundstone
artifacts, hammerstones, historic items, organic ecofacts, pottery
sherds, shell beads, soil, and stone ecofacts. Between 1998 and 2009,
Rick Norwood removed the cultural items from multiple locations in
Antelope Valley: Acton, south of the Antelope Valley in northern Los
Angeles County; Barrel Springs, the Lancaster Area, and the Palmdale
area in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County; and the
Rosamond area in the Antelope Valley in southeastern Kern County. On
January 23, 2009, Rick Norwood transferred the cultural items to CDPR.
(ACCN.498-55)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Dana Grabb removed the cultural items
from Piute Butte in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County,
California. On May 15, 1997, Dana Grabb transferred the cultural items
to CDPR. (ACCN.498-26)
The five lots of objects of cultural patrimony are modified bone,
flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, modified shell, and
shell bead. On an unknown date, Roger Robinson removed the cultural
items from Barrel Springs in the Antelope Valley in northern Los
Angeles County, California. In 1998, Roger Robinson transferred the
cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498.28)
The 10 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are modified bone,
faunal bone fragments, stone ecofacts, organic ecofacts, fire-affected
rocks, flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, hammerstones,
metal artifacts, and pottery sherds. In 1988, Bruce Love, under
contract to Stanley and Lois Sevilla, removed the cultural items from
Barrel Springs in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County,
California. On June 1, 1998, Stanley and Lois Sevilla transferred the
cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-29)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Stanley Brugh removed the cultural items
from Lake Hughes, south of the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles
County, California. On February 14, 2006, Stanley Brugh transferred the
cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-41)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Anthony Binando's father removed the
cultural items from Tameobit (Lovejoy Springs) in the Antelope Valley
in northern Los Angeles County, California. On February 19, 2002,
Anthony Binando transferred the cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-43)
The two lots of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts and hammerstone. At an unknown date, an unknown person
removed the cultural items from the Lancaster area in the Antelope
Valley in northern Los Angeles County, California. On January 15, 2008,
an anonymous donor transferred the cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-
49)
The three lots of objects of cultural patrimony are stone ecofacts,
flaked stone artifacts, and groundstone artifacts. Between the 1920s
and 1940s, ancestors of Virginia M. Sitzman removed the cultural items
from the Lancaster area in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles
County, California. On March 15, 2006, Sitzman transferred the cultural
items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-50)
The four lots of objects of cultural patrimony are juniper house,
organic ecofacts, flaked stone artifacts, and groundstone artifacts. In
1966, Charles Rozaire removed the cultural items from the Palmdale area
in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County, California. In
1966, Rozaire transferred the cultural items to the Natural History
Museum of Los Angeles County. On March 10, 1997, the Natural History
Museum of Los Angeles County transferred the cultural items to CDPR.
(ACCN.498-51)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone
artifacts. In 2008 and 2009, California State Parks removed the
cultural items are from Piute Butte in the Antelope Valley in northern
Los Angeles County, California, within Antelope Valley Indian Museum
State Historic Park. (ACCN.498-54) No potentially hazardous substances
have been used to treat the cultural items.
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Alex Littlebow removed the cultural
items from the Rosamond area in the Antelope Valley in southeastern
Kern County, California. On October 1, 2010, Alex Littlebow transferred
the cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-68)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Darline Donna Coon removed the cultural
items from the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County and
southeastern Kern County, California. On August 2, 2013, her son Donald
Orr transferred the cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-73)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. In
[[Page 10126]]
2014, Discovery Works removed the cultural items from Leona Valley,
south of the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County,
California. On September 25, 2014, Discovery Works transferred the
cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-75)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Muir Thompson removed the cultural items
from Lake Hughes, south of the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles
County, California. On June 15, 2015, Muir Thompson transferred the
cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-79)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifacts. On an unknown date, Alex Littlebow removed the cultural
items from the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County and
southeastern Kern County, California. On October 22, 2017, Alex
Littlebow transferred the cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-82)
The seven lots of objects of cultural patrimony are organic
ecofacts, stone ecofacts, fire-affected rocks, flaked stone artifacts,
groundstone artifacts, hammerstone, and bottle fragment. In 2006,
ArchaeoPaleo Resource Management removed the cultural items from site
CA-LAN-3681 in Agua Dulce in northern Los Angeles County, California.
On December 21, 2017, ArchaeoPaleo Resource Management transferred the
cultural items to CDPR. (ACCN.498-83)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone
artifact. On February 20, 2016, CDPR removed the cultural items from
Fairmont in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County,
California, in Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural
Reserve. (ACCN.499-20)
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are groundstone
artifact. In December 1985, CDPR staff removed the cultural items from
Saddleback Butte in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County,
California, in Saddleback Butte State Park. The presence of any
potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the cultural items
at Saddleback Butte State Park visitor center is unknown. (ACCN.568-2)
The six lots of objects of cultural patrimony are organic ecofacts,
fire-affected rocks, flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts,
pottery artifacts, and shell beads. On an unknown date, unknown people
removed the cultural items from Saddleback Butte in the Antelope Valley
in northern Los Angeles County, California, Saddleback Butte State
Park. The presence of any potentially hazardous substances being used
to treat the cultural items at Saddleback Butte State Park visitor
center is unknown. (ACCN.568-3)
Unless stated above, the presence of any potentially hazardous
substances being used to treat the cultural items prior to CDPR
acquiring the items is unknown. Unless state above, all of the cultural
items are housed at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum. The museum was
tented for termites in August 1992. There have been no other chemical
treatments after that date.
Determinations
The California Department of Parks and Recreation has determined
that:
<bullet> The 140 lots objects of cultural patrimony described in
this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural
importance central to the Native American group, including any
constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial
society, or other subdivision), according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (previously
listed as San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, California).
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 April 1, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the California Department of Parks and
Recreation 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 California
Department of Parks and Recreation 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: February 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-04046 Filed 2-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 2, 2026.
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