[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28265-28266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13028]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0025565; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: History Museum on the Square, 
Springfield, MO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The History Museum on the Square 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 History Museum on the Square. 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 History Museum on the Square at the 
address in this notice by July 18, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Glenna Dement, History Museum on the Square, P.O. Box 2963, 
Springfield, MO 65801, telephone (417) 249-0025, 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 History Museum on 
the Square. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from the Moon Valley Cave, Dallas County, MO.
    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 professional 
staff from the History Museum on the Square in consultation with 
representatives of The Osage Nation (previously listed as the Osage 
Tribe).

History and description of the remains

    At some time in the 1940s, human remains representing, at minimum, 
one individual were removed from a burial location known at that time 
as Moon Valley Cave in Dallas County, MO by Harrison Powell. The human 
remains were inventoried by Dr. Mike Conner, who worked for the Center 
for Archaeological Research at Southwest Missouri State University 
(today, Missouri State University). Based upon analyses of the teeth 
and epiphyseal union, Dr. Conner concluded that the human remains were 
that of a child between two and five years old. No known individual was 
identified. The 244 associated funerary objects include 1 biface 
fragment, 2 drill fragments, 23 bone fragments, 2 flakes, 39 projectile 
points, 168 pottery sherds, 1 bullet without a casing, 1 pipe bowl 
fragment, and 7 pieces of rock.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects remained in 
Harrison Powell's collection until his death, whereupon the collection 
passed to his son, Clell Powell who, in turn, donated it to the History 
Museum on the Square at different dates between 1994 and 1996. Between 
2006 and 2007, the human remains were sent to the Missouri Institute of 
Natural Science (MINS) to be chemically stabilized with Butvar-76, a 
polyvinyl butyral resin often used as an adhesive or coating agent by 
museums and curation facilities. Pottery sherds associated with the 
burial were identified by the Center for Archaeological Research as 
belonging to the Woodland period. Based on the archeological evidence, 
the human remains are believed to be Native American. Cultural 
affiliation of the human remains and associated funerary objects with 
The Osage Nation (previously listed as The Osage Tribe) has been 
determined based on geographical and historical information in addition 
to oral traditions and regional archeological evidence.

Determinations made by the History Museum on the Square

    Officials of the History Museum on the Square have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 244 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 Osage 
Nation (previously listed as the Osage 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

[[Page 28266]]

the request to Glenna Dement, History Museum on the Square, P.O. Box 
2963, Springfield, MO 65801, telephone (417) 249-0025, email 
[email protected], by July 18, 2018. After that date, 
if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to The Osage Nation 
(previously listed as the Osage Tribe) may proceed.
    The History Museum on the Square is responsible for notifying The 
Osage Nation (previously listed as the Osage Tribe) that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: May 9, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-13028 Filed 6-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P