[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 243 (Monday, December 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59855-59856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23536]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6803; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041625; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Wisconsin Historical Society, 
Madison, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) 
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition 
of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of 
cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after January 21, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural items in this notice to Jacqueline Pozza Reisner, Wisconsin 
Historical Society, 204 S Thornton Avenue, Madison, WI 53703, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
WHS, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, 
including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or 
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of nine sets of cultural items have been requested for 
repatriation. A total of eight of the sets of items are objects of 
cultural patrimony and one is an unassociated funerary object.
    The objects of cultural patrimony are: items purchased from Paul J. 
Warner of Chicago, Illinois: a string of wampum (1954.1676) and three 
brooches worn and used by John W. Quinney collected in Stockbridge, 
Wisconsin (1954.1677, a-b). A beaded pouch made by a Stockbridge woman, 
c. 1843, and donated through the Rosellette Bird estate (1954.1680). 
Four sets of items from Austin Quinney of Stockbridge, Wisconsin 
donated through the Harriet B. Quinney estate: a firemaking set 
(1954.1699, A-B, D), a fiber and buffalo bag (1954.2048), and two sets 
of two garters (1954.2052, A and 1954.2053, a). Lastly, a wampum bead 
collected in Outagamie County by William F. Wolf (1975.287.6).
    The one unassociated funerary object is a stone pendant (1955.1341) 
removed from a burial mound at Dorn's Landing in Calumet County, 
Wisconsin by the donor of the pendant--Orrin Thompson--in 1844. WHS has 
no documentation indicating that human remains were removed from the 
mound by the donor.

Determinations

    WHS has determined that:
     The one unassociated funerary objects described in this 
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with 
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death 
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American 
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a 
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The 
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance 
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or 
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an 
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe 
or Native Hawaiian organization.
     The eight sets of objects of cultural patrimony described 
in this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural 
importance central to the Native American group, including any

[[Page 59856]]

constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial 
society, or other subdivision), according to the Native American 
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
     There is a connection between the cultural items described 
in this notice and the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be 
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after January 21, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, WHS must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the 
cultural items are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. WHS is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the 
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice and to any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: December 11, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23536 Filed 12-19-25; 8:45 am]
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