Tokeland Washington

Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe

Shoalwater Reserve, Nisqually Agency

The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe resides in Pacific County, Washington, near Willapa Bay. Established by a Presidential Executive Order in 1866, their reservation encompasses 355 acres. The tribe, federally recognized since 1971, comprises descendants of various Native American groups, including the Lower Chehalis and Chinook. Historically, the tribe preserved their land and cultural practices by refusing an unfavorable treaty in 1855, thereby maintaining their fishing and hunting rights. The tribe’s constitution, ratified in 1971, solidified their sovereignty and aimed to protect tribal resources and identity.

Lower Chinook, Kathlamet, Tillamook, and Clatsop Indians, Alive in 1906

In 1906, Charles E. McChesney compiled a list of the Lower Chinook, Kathlamet, Tillamook, and Clatsop Indians, along with their heirs, who had treaty agreements with the U.S. government since 1851. The document includes numerous names and corresponding addresses across various locations, such as Oregon, Washington, and California. This registration underscores the ongoing recognition of these tribes and serves as an important historical record of their existence and relocations during that period.