[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 232 (Friday, December 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87067-87069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28959]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22416; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Huntington District, Huntington, WV

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District 
(Huntington District) has completed an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects in consultation with the appropriate Indian 
tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there 
is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated 
funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian 
tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice 
that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
Huntington District. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer 
of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations 
stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Huntington District at the address in 
this notice by January 3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Mr. Rodney Parker, District Archaeologist, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Huntington District, 502 Eighth Street, Huntington, WV 
25701, telephone (304) 399-5729, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 under the control of the Huntington 
District and in the possession of the Ohio Historical Society, 
Columbus, OH; Veterans Curation Program, Alexandria, VA; University of 
Kentucky, Lexington, KY; and the University of Akron, Akron, OH. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
Bluestone Lake in Summer County, WV; Deer Creek Lake in Pickaway 
County, OH; Fishtrap Lake in Pike County, KY; Meldahl Lock and Dam in 
Adams County, OH; Paint Creek Lake in Highland County, OH; and 
Paintsville Lake in Johnson County, KY.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Huntington 
District and the St. Louis District's Mandatory Center of Expertise for 
the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Absentee Shawnee 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Cayuga 
Nation; Cherokee Nation; Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's 
Reservation, Montana (previously listed as the Chippewa-Cree Indians of 
the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana); Citizen Potawatomi Nation, 
Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Eastern 
Band of

[[Page 87068]]

Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; 
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of 
Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Little River Band of 
Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of 
Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (six component 
reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grant 
Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth Band); 
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed 
as the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Oneida Nation (previously listed as the 
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin); Oneida Nation of New York; 
Onondaga Nation; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 
Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation 
(previously listed as the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); 
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake 
Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of 
Michigan; Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (previously listed as the St. Regis 
Band of Mohawk Indians of New York); Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as 
Seneca Nation of New York); Seneca-Cayuga Nation (previously listed as 
the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma); Shawnee Tribe; Sokaogon Chippewa 
Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Tonawanda Band of Seneca (previously listed as the Tonawanda Band of 
Seneca Indians of New York); Tuscarora Nation; United Keetoowah Band of 
Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma; and Wyandotte Nation (hereafter referred 
to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1963 and 1964, human remains representing, at a minimum, 71 
individuals were removed from 15PI11 (the Slone Site), Fishtrap Lake, 
Pike County, KY. The burials were excavated during legally authorized 
excavations by the University of Kentucky, and the human remains have 
been housed at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, since their 
excavation. No known individuals were identified. The 846 associated 
funerary objects are 613 shell beads, 13 shell pendants, 1 biface 
fragment, 2 miscellaneous rocks, 45 ceramic sherds, 109 fragments of 
unmodified fauna remains, 2 fragments modified faunal remains, 1 bone 
fish hook, 1 bone bead, 48 fragments of unmodified shell, 3 shell spoon 
fragments, and 8 soil samples.
    In 1966, human remains representing, at a minimum, 1 individual 
were removed from 15PI15 (the Justice-Baird Site), Fishtrap Lake, Pike 
County, KY. The burials were excavated during legally authorized 
excavations by the University of Kentucky. In 1967, Robert C. Dunnell, 
a Yale graduate student, donated the collection to the Yale University 
Peabody Museum. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1973, 1974, and 1977, human remains representing, at minimum, 2 
individuals were removed from 15JO23 (the Dameron Rockshelter), 
Paintsville Lake, Johnson County, KY. The burials were excavated during 
legally authorized excavation by the University of Kentucky and 
University of Pittsburgh, and the human remains and associated funerary 
objects have been housed at the University of Kentucky and University 
of Pittsburgh since their excavation. No known individuals were 
identified. The 46 associated funerary objects are 21 fragments of 
unmodified animal bone, 22 fragments of unmodified mussel shell, and 3 
fragments of charcoal.
    In 1972, human remains representing, at minimum, 1 individual were 
removed from 33PI44 (the Tick Ridge Site), Pickaway County, OH. The 
burials were excavated during legally authorized excavation by the Ohio 
Historical Society, and the human remains and associated funerary 
objects have been housed that the Ohio History Society. No known 
individuals were identified. The 4 associated funerary objects are 3 
unmodified animal bone and 1 projectile point fragment.
    In 1983, human remains representing, at minimum, 1 individual were 
removed from 33AD25 (the Island Creek Village site), Captain Meldahl 
Lock and Dam, Adams County, OH. The burials were excavated during 
legally authorized excavations by the University of Akron, and the 
human remains have been housed at the University of Akron, since their 
excavation. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1970, human remains representing, at minimum, 3 individuals were 
removed from 33HI20 (the Paint Creek Lake Dam Burial), Paint Creek 
Lake, Highland County, OH. The burials were excavated during grading of 
the dam, and the human remains have been housed at the Ohio Historical 
Society, since their excavation. No known individuals were identified. 
The 55 associated funerary objects are 4 chert tools, 9 flakes, 1 slate 
forget, 34 fragments of unmodified faunal remains, 1 fragment of 
modified faunal remain, 1 fragment modified antler, 1 fossil, 1 mica 
fragment, 1 fragment unmodified shell, 1 fragment of charcoal, and 1 
fragment of burned clay.
    In 1977, human remains representing, at minimum, 7 individuals were 
removed from 46SU3 (the Barker's Bottom site) Bluestone Lake, Summers 
County, WV. Two individuals were excavated during legally authorized 
excavation by the University of Pittsburgh in 1977. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects were originally stored at the 
University of Pittsburgh, but were later transferred to Grave Creek 
Historic Mound site in Grave Creek, WV. In September 2014, the remains 
were transferred to the Veterans Curation Program Laboratory in 
Alexandria, VA. The remaining five individuals were found eroding out 
of the site in the 1980s and collected by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Huntington District. The human remains and associated 
funerary object were sent to the West Virginia University Medical 
school for analysis and then stored at the Grave Creek Historic Mound 
Site in Grace Creek, WV. In September 2014, the remains were 
transferred to the Veterans Curation Program Laboratory in Alexandria, 
VA. No known individuals were identified. The 771 funerary objects are 
7 core fragments, 1 groundstone tool, 82 flakes, 3 miscellaneous rock 
fragments, 167 ceramic sherds, 418 fragments of unmodified faunal 
remains, 2 fragments of modified faunal remains, 85 fragments of 
unmodified shell, and 6 shell beads.
    In 1979, human remains representing, at a minimum, 3 individuals, 
were removed 46SU9, Bluestone Lake, Summers County, WV. The burials 
were excavated during legally authorized excavation by the University 
of Akron, and the human remains and funerary objects were originally 
housed at the University of Pittsburgh, but were later transferred to 
Grave Creek Historic Mound site in Grave Creek, WV. In September 2014, 
the remains were transferred to the Veterans Curation Program 
Laboratory in Alexandria, VA. No known individuals were identified. The 
1,408 funerary objects are 1,387 bird hone beads, 19 shell beads, 1 
faunal pendent, and 1 fragment of unmodified faunal remains.

[[Page 87069]]

    In March 1990, human remains representing, at a minimum, 1 
individual, were removed from an unknown site, Deer Creek Lake, 
Pickaway County, OH. There are no published documents or original field 
documents detailing the discovery and collection of this material. The 
human remains and funerary objects have been housed at the Ohio 
Historical Society. No known individuals were identified. The 16 
funerary objects are 1 broken bottle glass fragment, 1 miscellaneous 
stone, 1 biface, 1 flake, 6 fragments of unworked faunal remains, 5 
worked deer antler tips, and 1 field tile.
    Based on the physical characteristics of the remains and associated 
objects listed in this notice, the human remains are determined to be 
of Native American ancestry. Archaeological evidence indicated a Fort 
Ancient period occupation at this site from A.D. 1000 to 1700. Five 
lines of evidence support a cultural affiliation finding for the site 
including geographical, archeological, anthropological, historical, and 
oral history information gathered during consultation. The Shawnee are 
generally considered the `southerners' or the southernmost of the 
Algonquian-speaking tribes, and oral tradition places their homeland 
along the central Ohio River Valley. The Shawnee are often associated 
with the Fort Ancient peoples who occupied the Ohio River Valley and 
have a long association with this territory in which they were first 
encountered by the Europeans by the mid seventeenth century including 
areas of southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, and western West Virginia. 
The location of Fort Ancient archeological sites within the Huntington 
District indicates that a strong historical and ethnohistorical link 
showing the region was occupied by the Shawnees in the early historic 
period. Based on the geographic, anthropological, linguistic, 
anthropological, and historical evidence, and information gained during 
consultation, Huntington District has determined that the human remains 
and associated funerary objects from the sites listed in this notice 
are culturally affiliated with the Shawnee. The three federally 
recognized tribes with standing under NAGPRA are the Absentee-Shawnee 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, 
and the Shawnee Tribe.

Determinations Made by the Huntington District

    Officials of the Huntington District have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 90 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 3,146 objects 
described in this notice 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.
     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 
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, the Eastern Shawnee 
Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Shawnee Tribe.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Mr. Rodney Parker, District Archaeologist, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, 502 Eighth Street, 
Huntington, WV 25701, telephone (304) 399-5729, email 
[email protected], by January 3, 2017. After that date, if 
no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Absentee-Shawnee 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, 
and the Shawnee Tribe may proceed.
    The Huntington District is responsible for notifying The Consulted 
Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 15, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-28959 Filed 12-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P