Notice2026-08760
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Museum of Us, San Diego, CA
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
May 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Museum of Us intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary 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 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 24283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08760]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7114; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042683; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Museum of Us, San Diego, 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 Museum of Us intends to repatriate
certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated
funerary 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 June 4, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Carmen Mosley, Associate Director of
Repatriation, Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
92101, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e7d73716d727b675e736b6d7b6b7371786b6d30716c79"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99faf4f6eaf5fce0d9f4eceafcecf4f6ffeceab7f6ebfe">[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 Us, 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 71 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The eight unassociated funerary objects removed from Folsom Mound
(CV-14) in Sacramento County, CA, include three grooved stones, two
strings of glass trade beads, and three historic Chinese coins.
The four unassociated funerary objects removed from Strawberry
(King) Mound (CV-15; CA-SAC-28) in City Park, Sacramento County, CA,
include three projectile points and one lot of carbonized textile
material.
The 59 unassociated funerary objects removed from Cool (Blue Tent)
Mound (CV-24), Lovejoy Ranch in El Dorado County, CA include 25
projectile points, one charmstone, one cowbell, two stone pipes, 29
Haliotis ornaments, and one lot of glass trade beads.
Between 1930 and 1936, the 71 unassociated funerary objects were
removed by Henry Gibbs, a private collector and looter. In 1937, Paul
A. Walker purchased Gibbs' Central Valley, California archeological
collection. Walker was an amateur archeological and collector who
worked by himself and with other amateur archeologists, and in
collaboration with the University of California and Sacramento Junior
College. Over the course of this life, Walker amassed an extensive
archeological collection from California's Central Valley and smaller
collections from Northern and Southern California, and outside of
California. In 1968, Walker's private archeological collection was
acquired by the San Diego Museum of Man (now Museum of Us) through a
purchase/donation transaction with Walker's widow, Bessie B. Walker.
Determinations
The Museum of Us has determined that:
<bullet> The 71 unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice are 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 objects have 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 items described
in this notice and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle
Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), 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 June 4, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Museum of Us 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 Museum of Us 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: April 27, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-08760 Filed 5-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 5, 2026.
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