Notice of Inventory Completion: Atchison County Historical Society; Atchison, KS
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Atchison County Historical Society has completed an inventory of human remains and ha...
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Atchison County Historical Society has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES:
Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or after September 30, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this notice to Stephen W Caplinger, Atchison County Historical Society, 200 S 10th Street, Atchison, KS 66002, email
gowest1854@gmail.com.
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 Atchison County Historical Society, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Partial remains were found in 2025 in a box at the Atchison County Historical Society. Writing on the box said `2 Skulls, 1 skull from 14DP2 at KS Historical Society (Arch. Dept.) for measurement. November 1985 . . . Marshal Warner (son of Clyde,
aka Claude) found this skull.' In 1985, one skull (noted as being from 14DP2) was given to the Kansas Historical Society and repatriated in 2016. Provenience for the second skull is technically unknown but potentially from Doniphan County, KS as well. A shiny surface is noticed on the larger of the remains which would indicate someone has coated it with a varnish like material.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains described in this notice.
Determinations
The Atchison County Historical Society has determined that:
The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
There is a connection between the human remains described in this notice and the Kaw Nation, Oklahoma.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 30, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Atchison County Historical Society must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and not competing requests. The Atchison County Historical Society is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.
Authority:
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.