Notice of Inventory Completion: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, 67664-67666 [2024-18681]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67664-67666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18681]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038529; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of North Dakota, Grand 
Forks, ND

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 University of North Dakota (UND) has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after September 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Crystal Alberts, University of North Dakota, Twamley 
Hall Room 300, 264 Centennial Drive, Grand Forks, ND 58202, phone (701) 
777-2393, 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 
University of North Dakota, and additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in the inventory or related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    In October of 1974, gravel quarrying operations in Marshall County, 
MN, inadvertently disturbed a multi-person burial from site 21MA10. 
Former UND faculty member Lawrence L. Loendorf and former UND student 
Gary T. Scott oversaw the removal of human remains along with 110 
associated funerary objects consisting of one sample of charcoal, one 
arrow shaft straightener, two ground stone tools, 12 chipped stone 
tools, and 94 chipped stone flakes and flaking debris. The human 
remains were donated by K. Lund to the Minnesota Historical Society. 
The associated burial items were found in UND's Department of 
Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances being used to treat the associated funerary 
objects described.
    Based on information available, human remains of, at least, one 
individual has been reasonably identified, along with 373 associated 
funerary objects, consisting of 331 faunal bones or faunal bone 
fragments, 32 natural rocks, and 10 pieces of botanical material, which 
were excavated from site 24YL608 in Yellowstone County, MT. In June 
1972, former UND faculty member Lawrence L. Loendorf removed the 
described human remains and associated funerary objects from this site 
and brought them back to UND. These human remains and the associated 
funerary objects were found in UND's Department of Anthropology in 
March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially hazardous substances 
being used to treat the human remains or associated funerary objects 
described.
    Based on information available, human remains representing, at 
least, one individual being reasonably identified were taken from a 
mound near Arvilla, site 32GF1 in Grand Forks County, ND. In 1907, a 
man believed to be identified as E.K. Kennedy, an employee of the Road 
Division of the Great Northern Railway, provided the described human 
remains to an unidentified UND faculty member. Associated documentation 
notes, ``[t]here was a copper [illegible] wired to the skull marked 
with peculiar hieroglyphics.'' These human remains were found at the 
UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Spring 2022. No 
associated funerary objects are present. UND has no record of any 
potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the human remains 
described.
    On May 13, 1947, former UND faculty member Gordon W. Hewes 
excavated a mound identified as 32GF4 in Grand Forks County, ND. Based 
on the information available, human remains representing, at least, two 
individuals have been reasonably identified. The remains were found on 
UND's campus in August 2022 with a card that includes geolocational 
information which states: ``The bodies of several persons were 
presented in this much disturbed burial place.'' Additionally, two 
associated funerary objects were found with these human remains, 
consisting of two fragments of faunal bone. UND has no record of any 
potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the human remains 
or associated funerary objects described.
    In 1963, site 32GF10, the ``Hegre Mound'' in Grand Forks County, 
ND, was excavated by the landowner and local residents under the 
direction of Louis R. Thompson, Northwood Historical Museum, Northwood, 
ND, and Edward A. Milligan, historian, North Dakota State School of 
Forestry, Bottineau, ND. In 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty 
member, conducted a survey at site 32GF10. Available documentation 
indicates an exchange of information between Thompson, Milligan, and 
Cole, as well as a possible transfer of materials from Milligan and 
Thompson to Cole. Of the materials excavated at the site, three 
associated funerary objects, consisting of two faunal bone fragments 
and one piece of Knife River Flint, were found in UND's Department of 
Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances being used to treat the associated funerary 
objects described.
    In August 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty member, and a 
field crew conducted a survey of a mound at site 32GF305 in Grand Forks 
County, ND, the ``Colony Mound.'' Cole collected 34 associated funerary 
objects, consisting of one lithic point, one lithic biface, three 
chipped stone flaking debris, seven faunal bone fragments, and 22 shell 
beads. These items were found in UND's Department of Anthropology in 
March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially hazardous substances 
being used to treat the associated funerary objects described.
    In 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty member, conducted a 
survey of a mound at site 32GF307 in Grand Forks County, ND. Cole 
collected 25 associated funerary objects consisting of 14 faunal bone 
and teeth fragments,

[[Page 67665]]

eight pieces of chipped stone flaking debris, two lithic tools 
(scrapers), and one ceramic sherd. These items were found in UND's 
Department of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of any 
potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the associated 
funerary objects described.
    In 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty member conducted a survey 
of a mound at site 32GF308, in Grand Forks County, ND, the ``Gruszie 
Mound.'' Based on information available, Cole collected human remains 
representing, at least, one individual, being reasonably identified, 
along with 29 associated funerary objects consisting of 14 faunal bone 
fragments, one chipped stone tool, and 14 pieces of chipped stone 
flakes and flaking debris. The human remains and associated objects 
were found in UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has 
no record of any potentially hazardous substances being used to treat 
the human remains or associated funerary objects described.
    In 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty member conducted a survey 
of a mound at site 32GF322 in Grand Forks County, ND. The items 
collected by Cole are labeled as being from a ``possible mound.'' The 
23 associated funerary objects consist of two lithic cores, 14 pieces 
of chipped stone flaking debris, and seven faunal bone and tooth 
fragments from a large mammal. The items listed were found in UND's 
Department of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of any 
potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the associated 
funerary objects described.
    In 1979, during topsoil borrowing activities, a burial at site 
32ME378 in Mercer County, ND, was inadvertently disturbed by a 
contractor. The human remains and associated funerary objects described 
below were collected by former UND faculty member Stanley A. Ahler. 
Based on information available human remains representing, at least, 
one individual, has been reasonably identified, along with 19 
associated funerary objects, consisting of 10 faunal bone fragments, 
one ceramic sherd, one thermally altered rock, one lithic core, and six 
chipped stone flakes and flaking debris. The human remains and the 
associate funerary items were found in UND's Department of Anthropology 
in March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially hazardous 
substances being used to treat the human remains or associated funerary 
objects described.
    In 1977, former UND faculty member Stanley A. Ahler, while leading 
a National Park Service Field School, collected items exposed on the 
surface at site 32ML405 in McLean County, ND. Based on the information 
available, human remains representing, at least, one individual has 
been reasonably identified, along with 261 associated funerary objects 
consisting of one dark red piece of pumice, 212 chipped stone flakes 
and flaking debris, three lithic cores, three chipped stone tools, 40 
fragments of faunal bone, one post-contact ceramic rim sherd, and one 
glass bottle neck were removed from this site. These human remains and 
the associated funerary objects were found in UND's Department of 
Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances being used to treat the human remains or 
associated funerary objects described.
    In August 1967, a box containing human remains and associated 
funerary objects was left in UND's Leonard Hall, and UND's Department 
of Anthropology was notified. It was later learned that the human 
remains and associated funerary objects were part of an inadvertent 
disinterment at site 32NE301, the ``Lakota Site,'' located in Nelson 
County, ND. The 12 associated funerary objects consisting of one bison 
tooth fragment, five beaver tooth fragments, two shell beads, and all 
or part of four shell pendants were found in UND's Department of 
Anthropology in March 2022. The location of the human remains is 
unknown. UND has no record of any potentially hazardous substances 
being used to treat the associated funerary objects described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, one individual has been reasonably identified as being removed 
from a burial at site 32RM201, the ``Lisbon Burial,'' in Ransom County, 
ND. In 1974, the site was disturbed by gravelling operations; later, 
UND faculty member Kent Good oversaw excavation of the site. No 
associated funerary objects are present. The human remains were found 
in UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of 
any potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the human 
remains described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing at 
least one individual has been reasonably identified were removed from 
site 32SL1 in Slope County, ND. On July 7, 1977, as part the NPS Knife 
River Indian Villages/UND Field School, Stanley A. Ahler, former UND 
faculty member, and students conducted surface collection on the site. 
No associated funerary objects present. The human remains were found in 
UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of 
any potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the human 
remains described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, four individuals have been reasonably identified, along with one 
associated funerary object consisting of a dome-shaped bead, were 
removed from site 32SN22 in Stutsman County, ND, the ``Jamestown 
Mounds.'' In 1982, the State Historical Society of North Dakota 
excavated three burial mounds, and John A. Williams, then faculty at 
UND, participated in the analysis of the human remains. The human 
remains and associated funerary object from this site were found in 
UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of 
any potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the human 
remains or associated funerary object described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, one individual has been reasonably identified, along with three 
associated funerary objects consisting of faunal bone fragments, were 
removed from site 32SN103 in Stutsman County, ND. In August and 
November 1995, a survey of a mound group at the site was conducted by 
former UND Associate Research Archaeologist Cynthia Kordecki and Paul 
Picha from the State Historical Society of North Dakota. They noted 
``[c]ultural material observed in the disturbed area at the east end of 
the site'' and while they collected bone, they stated ``none of which 
is identified as human.'' The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were found in UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. 
UND has no record of any potentially hazardous substances being used to 
treat the human remains or associated funerary objects described.
    In June 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty member, conducted a 
survey at site 32WA1, Blasky or Fordville Mounds, in Walsh County, ND. 
The 12 associated funerary objects attributed to this survey, 
consisting of lithics, were found in UND's Department of Anthropology 
in March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially hazardous 
substances being used to treat the associated funerary objects 
described.
    In 1967, Kenneth Cole, former UND faculty member, excavated a 
burial at site 32WA301, in Walsh County, ND, after human remains were 
removed from the land by the property owner. The 39 associated funerary 
objects, consisting of 29 faunal bone fragments, one center fragment of 
a bison horn, three ceramic sherds, two chipped stone tools, and four 
chipped stone flakes and flaking debris from this site were found

[[Page 67666]]

in UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. The location of the 
human remains is unknown. UND has no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances being used to treat the associated funerary 
objects described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, eight individuals have been reasonably identified. The human 
remains were removed at an unknown time from an unknown location or 
locations by a person who is believed to be Edward A. Milligan, 
historian, North Dakota State School of Forestry, Bottineau, ND. They 
are marked with ``Milligan'' in black lettering. No associated funerary 
objects are present. The human remains were found in UND's Department 
of Anthropology in March 2022. UND has no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances being used to treat the human remains described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, two individuals have been reasonably identified. The human 
remains were removed at an unknown time by an unknown person, from an 
unknown location or locations. Many are marked ``Ft. Totten'' in thick 
black lines with smaller identification numbers. They were found in 
UND's Department of Anthropology in March 2022. No associated funerary 
objects are present. UND has no record of any potentially hazardous 
substances being used to treat the human remains described.
    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, 28 individuals have been reasonably identified. The human 
remains were removed at an unknown time by an unknown person, from an 
unknown location or locations. At an unknown time by an unknown person 
or persons, the human remains were brought to UND. They were found in 
various locations around UND's campus and, after non-invasive analysis 
by a forensic anthropologist specializing in human osteology, they were 
determined to be, or possibly be, of Native American ancestry and have 
been excavated from undetermined archaeological sites. No associated 
funerary objects are present. UND has no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances being used to treat the human remains described.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location of the human remains and associated funerary objects described 
in this notice.

Determinations

    The University of North Dakota has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 52 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 946 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a reasonable connection between the human remains 
and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the 
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, 
Montana; Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, 
South Dakota; Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, 
South Dakota; Crow Tribe of Montana; Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind 
River Reservation, Wyoming; Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South 
Dakota; Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation 
of Montana; Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, 
South Dakota; Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota; 
Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Northern 
Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; 
Oglala Sioux Tribe; Prairie Island Indian Community in the State of 
Minnesota; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Rosebud Sioux 
Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Shakopee 
Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota; Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of 
the Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota; Spirit Lake Tribe, North 
Dakota; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota; Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; 
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; Upper Sioux 
Community, Minnesota; and the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. 
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. 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 human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 20, 2024. 
If competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of 
North Dakota must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. The University of North Dakota is responsible for 
sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: August 7, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-18681 Filed 8-20-24; 8:45 am]
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