[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 103 (Friday, May 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 29066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13596]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Colorado 
Historical Society, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of the Colorado Historical Society, 
Denver, CO.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Colorado 
Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute 
Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, and 
the Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray Reservation.
    In 1897, human remains representing one individual from western 
Colorado were donated by Mrs. M.E. Crowley to the Colorado Historical 
Society. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Extant documentation indicates that this young Ute woman was slain 
in 1885; and it is probable that this happened during the Beaver Creek 
Massacre in June, 1885. According to historical documents and Ute oral 
tradition, two Weeminuche Ute families were camped on Beaver Creek 
north of Dolores, CO when they were attacked by white American 
settlers; resulting in the deaths of six or seven persons, including 
two women. Based on this information, this individual has been 
identified as Native American of Ute tribal affiliation.
    During the 1940s, human remains representing one individual came 
into the possession of Arthur Sutton, the sheriff of Montrose County, 
CO. The circumstances surrounding the recovery of these human remains 
are not known. In 1956, Arthur Sutton donated these human remains to 
the Colorado Historical Society. No known individual was identified. 
The 14 associated funerary objects include fragments of a ``Kentucky'' 
or ``Indian'' rifle; textile fragments from a Navajo blanket and 
possible ``uniform''; and a metal button.
    Based on physical examinations conducted by the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation in 1946 and associated funerary objects, these human 
remains have been identified as Native American from the historic 
period. The associated funerary objects are similar to items which have 
been excavated with other known Ute graves in Colorado. Montrose 
County, CO is part of the pre-1900 homeland of the present-day Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray Reservation, specifically the 
Uncompahgre Band (Taveewach).
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Colorado 
Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains 
of two individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
Colorado Historical Society have also determined that, pursuant to 43 
CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 14 objects listed above are reasonably believed to 
have been placed with or near individual human remains at the time of 
death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials 
of the Colorado Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 43 
CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship of shared group identity which 
can be reasonably traced between these Native American human remains 
and associated funerary objects and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of 
the Southern Ute Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain 
Reservation, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray 
Reservation.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Southern Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray 
Reservation. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should contact Anne Wainstein Bond, Curator 
of Material Culture, Colorado Historical Society, 1300 Broadway, 
Denver, CO, 80203; telephone: (303) 866-4691, before June 28, 1999. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Ute 
Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, and the Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray Reservation may begin after that date if 
no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: May 18, 1999.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 99-13596 Filed 5-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F