San Bernardino County Museum Intends to Repatriate 14 Cultural Patrimony Objects Under NAGPRA
Summary
The San Bernardino County Museum has issued a notice of intended repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) for 14 cultural patrimony objects including shell beads, ceramic discs, lithics, ground stone, and faunal bone from various archaeological sites in California. The objects were collected and recorded between 1962 and 1981 from sites including Coyote Holes Cyn, Montgomery Peak #2, Joshua Tree-N, and Bankus sites. Repatriation may occur on or after May 26, 2026, with written requests to be sent to Gabrielle Carpentier at the museum. The museum has determined that these objects have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to Native American groups and are culturally affiliated with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
“Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after May 26, 2026.”
About this source
GovPing monitors FR: National Park Service for new environment regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 36 changes logged to date.
What changed
The San Bernardino County Museum published a notice of intended repatriation under NAGPRA for 14 objects of cultural patrimony across eight lots, including shell beads, ceramic discs, spindle whorls, lithics, faunal bone, stone, and ground stone recovered from California archaeological sites documented between 1962 and 1981. The museum determined these objects have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to Native American groups and are culturally affiliated with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Written requests for repatriation must be sent to Gabrielle Carpentier at the museum, and repatriation may proceed on or after May 26, 2026. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not already identified may submit a competing request by demonstrating a preponderance of evidence for cultural affiliation or lineal descent.
Museums, repositories, and institutions holding Native American cultural items should review their collections for similar NAGPRA compliance status and ensure their determination records document cultural affiliation with appropriate tribal consultations. Institutions should maintain updated contact information for culturally affiliated tribes and follow the written-request process outlined in 43 CFR 10.9 for any repatriation claims.
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Notice
Notice of Intended Repatriation: San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands, CA
A Notice by the National Park Service on 04/23/2026
PDF
Document Details
Document Dates
Table of Contents
- Related Documents
- Public Comments
- Regulations.gov Data
- Sharing
- Other Formats
- Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-07952 (91 FR 21838) Document Headings ###### Department of the Interior
National Park Service
- [N7102; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042661; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
AGENCY:
National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and ( printed page 21839) Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), San Bernardino County Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of 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 May 26, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to Gabrielle Carpentier, San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374, email gabrielle.carpentier@sbcm.sbcounty.gov.
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 San Bernardino County Museum, 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 14 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The eight lots of objects of cultural patrimony are one lot of shell beads, one lot of ceramic disc, one lot of ceramic sherds, one lot of spindle whorl, one lot of lithics, one lot of unworked faunal bone, one lot of stone, one lot of ground stone. CA-SBR-00216 (SBCM-126), Coyote Holes Cyn, Coyote Well was recorded December 30, 1962 by P. Chace. Objects were also recorded on July 2, 1991 by Kenneth Becker and Juanita Shinn.
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are lithics. CA-SBR-02379 (SBCM-1971), Montgomery Peak #2 (R-2); UCRARU #74; #1A-1B, was collected by D. Decker. These objects of cultural patrimony were recorded in April 1973.
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are lithics. CA-SBR-03429 (SBCM-4074), Joshua Tree-N., was recorded in 1980 by Gerald Smith and Mike Quinn.
The two lots of objects of cultural patrimony are one lot of lithics and one lot of ground stone. CA-SBR-04851 (SBCM-5053), Bankus 1, was collected by Allen E. Bankus and M.K. Lerch. Objects were recorded on November 29, 1981.
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are faunal bone. CA-SBR-04852 (SBCM-5054), Bankus 2, was collected by Allen E. Bankus and M.K. Lerch. Objects were recorded on November 29, 1981.
The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are lithics. CA-SBR-04854 (SBCM-5056), Bankus 4, was collected by Allen E. Bankus and M.K. Lerch. Objects were recorded on November 29, 1981.
Determinations
San Bernardino County Museum has determined that:
- The 14 objects of cultural patrimony described in this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American group, including any 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 Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California.
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 May 26, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, San Bernardino County Museum 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. San Bernardino County Museum 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: April 17, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-07952 Filed 4-22-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
Published Document: 2026-07952 (91 FR 21838)
CFR references
Citations
Related changes
Get daily alerts for FR: National Park Service
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Source
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from Interior Department.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when FR: National Park Service publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.