Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) 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 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68543-68544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22149]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7601; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0044076; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State Historical Society, 
Topeka, KS

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 Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) 
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 November 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
in this notice to Dr. Nicole Klarmann, Kansas State Historical Society, 
6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#375c445f4419595650474556775c4419505841"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="68031b001b4606090f181a0928031b460f071e">[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 
KSHS, 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 from Kingman County, KS (UBS 2025-14). No associated 
funerary objects are present. Human remains were found in an unnamed 
creek and transferred to the Kingman County Sheriff's office and then 
to WU-FARU to complete a forensic anthropological analysis. The remains 
were transferred to KSHS under the state UBS law in December 2025.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Finney County, KS (UBS 2025-12). No associated funerary 
objects are present. An individual received human remains believed to 
be from the vicinity of Garden City, KS from a relative. They then 
mailed them to a professor at Kansas University who contacted the 
Garden City Deputy Coroner. After forensic analysis occurred at WU-
FARU, the remains were transferred to KSHS under the state UBS law in 
December 2025.
    To our knowledge, no known hazardous substances were used to treat 
any of the human remains.

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 human remains described in this 
notice.

Determinations

    The KSHS has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the human remains described 
in this notice and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; Northern 
Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Northern Cheyenne 
Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; and the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma.

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.

[[Page 68544]]

    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 November 30, 2026. If competing 
requests for repatriation are received, the KSHS must determine the 
most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. The KSHS 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 22, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-22149 Filed 10-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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