Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe

The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is located in southwestern Washington State, primarily in Pacific County. Their reservation is situated near the shores of Willapa Bay, a significant estuarine bay on the Pacific Ocean. The closest towns include Tokeland and Raymond. This area is characterized by its coastal environment, including beaches, wetlands, and dense forests, providing a rich natural habitat that has supported the tribe for generations. The Shoalwater Reservation was first established by Presidential Executive Order on September 22, 1866. A 355-acre piece of land was set aside by President Johnson for “miscellaneous Indian purposes.”

The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is a federally recognized tribe with a population consisting of members who are descendants of several Native American groups, including the Lower Chehalis, Chinook, and Willapa peoples. According to recent estimates, the tribe has around 350 enrolled members. The community is relatively small but maintains a strong cultural heritage and social cohesion.

The Shoalwater Bay chiefs at the Chehalis River Treaty Council of 1855 refused to sign the non-negotiable treaty offered by Governor Stevens. By not signing, the Shoalwater Bay Indians retained a small land base to call home, allowing them to continue their ancestral traditions of hunting, fishing, and shellfish harvesting on the land and waterways of the Bay.

In the 1960s, the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe began negotiations with the United States government for official recognition. This recognition was achieved on March 10, 1971, after the tribe ratified and amended their constitution. The new constitution secured the rights and powers inherent in their sovereign status, as guaranteed by U.S. law. It also aimed to develop and protect the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation and other tribal resources, preserve peace and order within the community, promote the general welfare of the people and their descendants, protect the rights of the tribe and its members, and preserve their land base, culture, and identity.

1900 Census

Degree of blood in the 1900 census referenced the degree of White blood. There were 12 counted as members of the Shoalwater Bay tribe.

1919 Schedule of Unenrolled Indians, Shoalwater Bay Tribe

These families attempted to enroll in the Quinaielt Tribe between 1910-1919 and were rejected. They and their descendants remained unenrolled Indians until 1971. There were 26 who claimed to be part of the Shoalwater Bay tribe in this list.