Notice2026-18962
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Army, Collection From the Former Fort Vancouver Army Garrison, Vancouver, WA
Primary source
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Published
September 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Department of the Army has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58700-58701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18962]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7493; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043751; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Army,
Collection From the Former Fort Vancouver Army Garrison, Vancouver, WA
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 Department of the Army has completed an
inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural
affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or
after October 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
in this notice to Ms. Mary Schmidt, Department of the Army, 101 Army
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-0101, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6904081b10470c471a0a0104000d1d5a5e470a001f29081b041047040005"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="731e12010a5d165d00101b1e1a170740445d101a053312011e0a5d1e1a1f">[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
Department of the Army 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 remains representing, at least, one individual have been
identified. Records indicate that construction of the Fort Vancouver
barracks in 1915 may have resulted in the removal of an undetermined
number of burials and Native American remains. It is believed this
Ancestor, a young woman, was removed during this time. The exact origin
location is unclear, though according to records, portions of the east
and west barracks overlapped with the original Hudson's Bay Company
cemetery. The U.S. Army managed the Fort until June 19, 1948, when it
was declared a U.S. National Monument and a portion transferred to the
National Park Service (NPS), though the Army maintained responsibility
for the barracks/cemetery area. The remaining Army property at Fort
Vancouver was transferred to NPS in 2012 under the BRAC Program. The
only provenance information related to the Ancestor's arrival at the
Oregon Historical Society, where she is currently located, was a
handwritten piece of paper associated with the remains stating they
were donated in 1948 by Dr. Alan Welch Smith. To the best of the Army's
knowledge, the collection has not been treated with any hazardous
substances.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available
about the human remains described in this notice. This connection was
made using information available to the agency, provided in
consultation, and through recognition of the treaty rights accorded by
the Willamette Valley Treaty (1855).
Determinations
The Department of the Army has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains described
in this notice and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community
of Oregon and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 described in this notice to a
requestor may occur on or after October 16, 2026. If competing requests
for repatriation are received, the Department of the Army must
determine the most
[[Page 58701]]
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and
not competing requests. The Department of the Army 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: September 10, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-18962 Filed 9-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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