STILLAQUAMISH TRIBE

THIS TRIBE IS LOCATED IN NORTHERN SNOHOMISH COUNTY NEAR ARLINGTON BETWEEN THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS AND PUGET SOUND. THIS WATERSHED DRAINS 694 SQUARE MILES. THEIR RESERVATION IS NOW ON 76 ACRES. THEY HAVE RELATIVELY MILD CLIMATES. THE MEN AND CHILDREN HAD CLOTHING MADE FROM CEDAR BARK. THEY FISHED FOR SALMON, SEAFOOD, AND GATHERED BERRIES AND ROOTS AND HUNTED GOATS. EUROPEANS INTRODUCED THEM TO PLANT POTATOES. SOME NATIVES WORKED FOR ANGLOS DOING SOME FARMING AND CLEARING LAND.


EVENTUALLY THEY WERE FORCED TO RELINQUISH SOME LAND THAT HAD BEEN THERE HOME FOR MILLENIA. THE TREATY OF POINT ELLIOT IN 1855 WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO CLAIM THEIR LAND FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AND ACREAGE FOR A RESERVATION. THERE WAS NO RESERVATION FOR THE SLOLUCKWAMISH. SOME MOVED TO THE TALIP RESERVATION.


BY THE 1900'S THIS TRIBE WAS NEARLY EXTINCT. ONE WOMAN, ESTHER ROSS, WAS 1/4 STILLAQUAMIS. IT WAS HER MISSION TO RESTORE THE TRIBE AND WIN FEDERAL RECOGNITION. THEY LACKED TRIBAL IDENTITY. SHE WORKED FOR 50 YEARS, AND STARTED WITH 29 NATIVES. A POSITIVE WAS THE TRIBAL COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF A CONSTITUTION IN 1953. BY THE TIME SHE DIED THERE WERE 160 MEMBERS AT LEAST. IN 1970 THE TRIBE FILED A CLAIM FOR THE COMPENSATION OF THEIR LOSS OF LAND AND THEY WERE PAID $64,000 FOR THE ACREAGE THEY GAVE UP. IN 1970 ROSS GOT THEM FISHING RIGHTS AND SHE WORKED TO PUT A PIECE OF THEIR LAND INTO TRUST SO THEY COULD GET FEDERAL RECOGNITION. IN 1974 THEY WERE GIVEN FISHING RIGHTS AND IN 1976 THEY WERE GIVEN FEDERAL RECOGNITION. IN 1978 THEY BUILT A TRIBAL FISH HATCHERY IN ORDER TO RESTORE CHINOOK AND COHO SALMON. THEY NOW HAVE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES.

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