[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 92 (Thursday, May 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 26987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11347]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Wisconsin Historical Society, 
Museum Division, Madison, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Museum 
Division (aka State Historical Society of Wisconsin), Madison, WI. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Fond du 
Lac County, WI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    An assessment of the human remains was made by the Wisconsin 
Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago 
Tribe of Nebraska.
    In 1926, human remains were removed from a grave near Luco Creek 
(47-FD-0242), Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, WI, during sewer 
construction. Workers encountered three skeletons with associated 
funerary objects. On September 23, 1926, one cranium and some of the 
associated funerary objects were brought to the Wisconsin Historical 
Society. A small glazed ceramic perfume bottle was sent to the 
Milwaukee Public Museum at about the same time. The workers retained 
custody of a pipe, beads, and two silver crosses, but discarded the 
other skeletal material at the time of discovery, (see Wisconsin 
Historical Society accession file 1926.84 and the Archaeological Sites 
Inventory). No known individual was identified. The two associated 
funerary objects are one trade sheet silver headdress and a fragment of 
woven cloth.
    Trade silver first appeared in the United States circa A.D. 1760. 
What is referred to as German trade silver (an alloy of copper, zinc, 
and nickel) was not introduced until A.D. 1830. The sheet silver 
headdress has been identified as German trade silver, thereby dating 
the burial to post A.D. 1830. Based on cranial morphology, the human 
remains are determined to represent an adult male of mixed Native 
American and Caucasian ethnicity. Oral history and historical records, 
indicate the Luco Creek site is located across the creek from an 
historic Winnebago village, which was located at Taycheedah, (1857, 
Augustin Grignon, Wisconsin Historical Collections 3: 264, 288). This 
places the site within the historic territory of the Ho-Chunk Nation of 
Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Furthermore, the dates of 
occupation of the site are consistent with the time-period in which the 
Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska 
inhabited the area.
    Officials of the Wisconsin Historical Society have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Wisconsin Historical Society also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the two objects 
described above are reasonably believed to have been placed with or 
near the human remains at the time of death or later during the death 
rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of the Wisconsin Historical Society 
have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects and the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of 
Nebraska.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and/or associated 
funerary objects should contact Jennifer L. Kolb at the Wisconsin 
Historical Museum, 30 N. Carroll St., Madison, WI 53703, telephone 
(608) 261-2461, before June 14, 2010. Repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects to the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and 
the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Wisconsin Historical Society is responsible for notifying the 
Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 28, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-11347 Filed 5-12-10; 8:45 am]
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