[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44041-44042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17065]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032391; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: New York State Office of Parks, 
Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Waterford, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic 
Preservation (NYSOPRHP) has completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 
should submit a written request to the NYSOPRHP. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
NYSOPRHP at the address in this notice by September 10, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Farry (Scientist/Archaeology), 
Division for Historic Preservation, P.O. Box 189, Waterford, NY 12188-
0189, telephone (518) 268-2185, 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 under 
the control of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and 
Historic Preservation, Waterford, NY. The human remains were removed 
from the Old Arsenal/Arsenal Hill Site, Canandaigua, Ontario County and 
the Ball Farm/Totiakton Site, Mendon, Monroe County, NY.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the New York 
State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Cayuga 
Nation; Seneca Nation of Indians [previously listed as Seneca Nation of 
New York]; Seneca-Cayuga Nation [previously listed Seneca-Cayuga Tribe 
of Oklahoma]; Tonawanda Band of Seneca [previously listed as Tonawanda 
Band of Seneca Indians of New York]; and the Tuscarora Nation 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In the late nineteenth century, human remains representing, at 
minimum, two individuals were removed from the Old Arsenal/Arsenal Hill 
Site in Ontario County, NY. The human remains were excavated by William 
M. Locke and acquired by William Pryor Letchworth. The Letchworth 
collection was included in the gift of the Glen Iris Estate to New York 
State in 1907. The human remains include a skull belonging to an adult 
of unknown sex (LE.2010.7) and partial cranium vault fragments 
belonging to an adult of unknown sex (LE.2010.8). No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on the known context of recovery and a 2002 archeological and

[[Page 44042]]

osteological assessment, the human remains predate A.D. 1400 and are 
connected to earlier Owasco/Seneca. The provenience of the human 
remains is consistent with the historically documented territory of the 
Seneca. Consultation has further established the cultural affiliation 
of these human remains with the Seneca Nation of Indians [previously 
listed as Seneca Nation of New York] and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca 
[previously listed as Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York].
    In the late nineteenth century, human remains representing, at 
minimum, one individual were removed from the Ball Farm/Totiakton Site, 
Monroe County, NY. The human remains were excavated by William M. Locke 
and acquired by William Pryor Letchworth. The Letchworth collection was 
included in the gift of the Glen Iris Estate to New York State in 1907. 
The human remains include the mandible, teeth, and cranial fragments 
belonging to a sub-adult aged 6-12 of unknown sex. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on the known context of recovery and a 2002 archaeological 
and osteological assessment, the human remains date to ca. A.D. 1669-
1687 and are connected to the earlier Seneca. Ca. A.D. 1669-1687, 
Totiakton was a Seneca village located along Honeoye Creek in the Town 
of Mendon, Monroe County, NY. The provenience of the human remains is 
consistent with the historically documented territory of the Seneca. 
Consultation has further established the cultural affiliation of these 
human remains with the Seneca Nation of Indians [previously listed as 
Seneca Nation of New York] and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca [previously 
listed as Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York].

Determinations Made by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, 
and Historic Preservation

    Officials of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and 
Historic Preservation have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 the Seneca Nation of Indians [previously 
listed as Seneca Nation of New York] and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca 
[previously listed as Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York] 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Division 
for Historic Preservation, P.O. Box 189, Waterford, NY 12188-0189, 
telephone (518) 268-2185, email [email protected], by September 
10, 2021. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains to The Tribes may 
proceed.
    The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic 
Preservation is responsible for notifying The Consulted Tribes that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 28, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-17065 Filed 8-10-21; 8:45 am]
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