Notice of Inventory Completion: Niles History Center, Niles, MI

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Niles History Center (formerly the Fort St. Joseph Historical Association) has completed an inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 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 199 (Friday, October 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 199 (Friday, October 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65760-65761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21120]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7569; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043944; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Niles History Center, Niles, MI

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 Niles History Center (formerly the Fort 
St. Joseph Historical Association) has completed an inventory of 
associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after November 16, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the associated 
funerary

[[Page 65761]]

objects in this notice to Christina Arseneau, Niles History Center, 508 
E Main Street, Niles, MI 49120, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#563e35323f24333522392416383f3a33253b3f78392431"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5b33383f32293e382f34291b3532373e2836327534293c">[email&#160;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 
Niles History Center, 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

    No human remains have been identified. The two associated funerary 
objects are ceramic vessels. They were excavated by Elliott H. Crane 
(b. 1840-d. 1917) from Goodall Mounds (#12LE9), La Porte County, 
Indiana, at an unknown date. One of the vessels is referenced in The 
Goodall Focus by George Irving Quimby published by the Indiana 
Historical Society in October 1941 as being collected from Mound 22 of 
the Goodall Group and the second is labeled ``22e.'' The vessels have 
catalog numbers from 1977 but were likely acquired at an earlier date. 
No known hazardous substances are present. These associated funerary 
objects were part of a joint consultation effort to bring together 
human remains and associated funerary objects from multiple 
institutions.

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 associated funerary objects 
described in this notice.

Determinations

    The Niles History Center has determined that:
    <bullet> The two 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 associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of 
Indians of Oklahoma; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Kaw Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo 
Traditional Tribe of Texas; Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of 
Pottawatomi (previously listed as Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of 
Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan); Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Mille Lacs Band); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of 
the Potawatomi, Michigan; Omaha Tribe of Nebraska; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Ponca Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation; 
Seneca Nation of Indians; Shawnee Tribe; and the Tonawanda Band of 
Seneca.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the 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 associated funerary objects described in this 
notice to a requestor may occur on or after November 16, 2026. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, the Niles History 
Center must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the associated 
funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. The Niles History Center 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: October 7, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-21120 Filed 10-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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