Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI, 35438 [2020-12546]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 35438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12546]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030240; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: John Michael 
Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The John Michael Kohler Arts Center, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the 
definition of objects of cultural patrimony. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items 
should submit a written request to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. 
If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the 
cultural items 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 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the John Michael Kohler Arts 
Center at the address in this notice by July 10, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Sam Gappmayer, Director, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, 
608 New York Avenue, Sheboygan, WI 53081, telephone (920) 458-6114, 
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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI, that 
meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony under 25 U.S.C. 
3001.
    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 cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Item(s)

    In the early 1900's, 5,816 cultural items were removed from in and 
around the city of Sheboygan in Sheboygan County, WI. The items were 
removed by Sheboygan Jeweler Rudolph Kuehne. After his death, they were 
sold to the Kohler Foundation in the late 1920's by Kuehne's widow. The 
collection was packed away and not studied until 1968 when it was 
examined by John Michael Kohler Arts Center in connection with an 
exhibition. Kohler Foundation gifted the collection to the John Michael 
Arts Center on August 15, 1974.
    The 5,816 cultural items include 2,717 stone points and stone point 
fragments, 1,165 scrapers/scraper fragments, seven stone hand axes, 130 
stone celts/hammerstones, 97 grooved stone hammers/axe heads, 17 stone 
gorgets, eight stone beads, 59 gaming stones, one stone implement club, 
one stone pestle, 93 stone sinkers/weights, two stone bar amulets, 213 
copper points, 16 copper blades, 531 copper awls/needles, 147 copper 
hooks, 307 copper preforms/floats/modified copper, 24 copper beads, 
three copper wedges/chisels, one copper pike, three copper rings/
adornments, one copper spud, one copper bannerstone, three copper 
crescents, five stone pipe components, five clay pipe components, two 
wood pipe components, two pipe tomahawks, 44 worked antler/bone 
fragments, 31 Antlers/bone awls/points, eight small clay vessels 
(<6 dia.), 15 medium clay vessels (6-
12 dia.), one large clay vessel (>12 dia.), 49 
boxes of pottery fragments (each box approx. 3 x 
12 x 9), 86 clay pottery fragments, one clay 
animal effigy, six boxes of geology/plant specimens (each box approx. 
3 x 12 x 9), seven beaded belts/
saches, one beaded pouch/bag, one beaded footwear (pair), two beaded 
bands, and three beaded necklaces.
    Consultation with Eben Crawford, Curator and NAGPRA Assistant for 
the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, supports determination that the 
objects listed in this notice are cultural items. According to Mr. 
Crawford ``The aforementioned objects currently in the possession of 
the John Michael Kohler Arts Center are either identified by accession 
information as belonging to the Tribe or were collected in the area the 
Tribe and its ancestors historically inhabited.''

Determinations Made by the John Michael Kohler Arts Center

    Officials of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the 5,816 cultural items 
described above have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural 
importance central to the Native American group or culture itself, 
rather than property owned by an individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the objects 
of cultural patrimony and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Sam Gappmayer, Director, John Michael Kohler 
Arts Center, 608 New York Avenue, Sheboygan, WI 53081, telephone (920) 
458-6114, email [email protected], by July 10, 2020. After that 
date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control 
of the objects of cultural patrimony to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska 
may proceed.
    The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is responsible for notifying 
the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 23, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-12546 Filed 6-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P