Notice2026-04052
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Milwaukee Public Museum intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of an unassociated funerary object and that has 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 10112-10113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04052]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6966; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042108; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Milwaukee Public Museum,
Milwaukee, WI
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 Milwaukee Public Museum intends to
repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of an
unassociated funerary object and that has a cultural affiliation with
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or
after April 1, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural item in this notice to Dawn Scher Thomae, Milwaukee Public
Museum, 800 W Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f185999e9c9094b19c819cdf949584"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f4809c9b999591b4998499da919081">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The
[[Page 10113]]
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
Milwaukee Public 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 one cultural item has been requested for repatriation.
The unassociated funerary object is a lead animal figure taken from
``an old Indian village'' at Indian Hill, Bedford, Westchester Co., New
York known as Nanichiestawack. This village was occupied by the
Wecquaesgeek, a Munsee band of Wappinger people until 1644 and is a
known Lenape burial site. The item was accessioned by the Milwaukee
Public Museum in 1905 as a donation from W.H. Ellsworth, a local
Milwaukee, Wisconsin collector. No hazardous substances were used to
treat this cultural item.
Determinations
The Milwaukee Public Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The one unassociated funerary object described in this
notice is 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 object has 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 item described
in this notice and the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item
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 item in this notice to a requestor may
occur on or after April 1, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation
are received, the Milwaukee Public Museum must determine the most
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the cultural item are considered a single request and
not competing requests. The Milwaukee Public 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.
Dated: February 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-04052 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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