Samish Indian Nation Timeline

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed and passed by the Continental Congress. It was clear that European settlement was quickly becoming established. Above is a drawing by Jose Cardero showing Samish people paddling out to greet Spanish explorers in 1792 as the Sutil and Mexicana sailed down the Guemes Channel. Note Mount Baker in the background.

Marriages among high ranking families had always been arranged between fairly distant villages to establish strong and peaceful ties, with opportunities for trade and permission to enjoy the marital relatives' fishing, hunting and gathering areas. Exogamy was an established practice among Coast Salish villages to increase alliances and reduce conflict.

Prominent Samish families wanted to establish strong and peaceful relations with the newcomers and expected the marriages to strengthen ties between the two communities.

Samish wives of early settlers had both advantages of new material goods and faced discrimination as non-native women later arrived and local settlers grew to frown upon the mixed couples and their mixed-race children.

On January 22nd, 1855, the Treaty of Point Elliott was signed. 113 Samish people were present at Mukilteo when Governor Isaac Stevens signed the Point Elliott Treaty. The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate in 1859.

Stevens arbitrarily picked people to act as chiefs for the various signatory tribes. 

Chowitzoot, a Lummi leader and Pateus, a Nuwhaha leader married to a Samish woman, were among several individuals who may have signed on behalf of Samish. Being a signatory to a ratified treaty established Samish as a recognized tribe.

The Smallpox epidemic continued to take lives of Samish people and European settlers. In 1862, the virus spread to Victoria, B.C., unknowingly, by the steamship Brother Jonathon.

From April to December of 1862, 14,000 or just under half of the total population of native people in Puget Sound died from smallpox outbreaks in their villages and communities.

Congress passed a policy that allowed whites to be vaccinated, but not native people. This contributed to massive deaths among all Coast Salish people, including Samish.  

Many of Samish people refused to stay on reservations after the Treaty of Point Elliott signing. They remained at the Samish Island village during the winters and followed traditional harvest routes through the islands in spring and summer.

In the mid 1870s, the planks and beams of the large building at A7ts'íqen on Samish Island were taken by European settlers when the Samish people left for seasonal harvest in the islands to gather food.

Finding their home destroyed upon return the Samish people moved back to Guemes Island.

After the planks and beams of the large building at A7ts'íqen on Samish Island were taken by European settlers and new village was settled on Guemes Island, some Samish people continued to live on Samish Island, including Whulholten, Harry Samish, and his daughter, Annie Lyons.

Annie Lyons was widowed at a young age with several children. She survived by selling wheelbarrows full of shellfish she gathered at Samish Island to European settlers.

Today, at the east end of Samish Island, there is a Samish burial ground. This burial marker is for Harry Samish and is the site of mass grave where many Samish people were reburied after European settlers invaded and started desecrating burial sites on the island.

Samish people were offended at the treatment of ancestral remains on Samish Island by white European farmers.

They took it upon themselves to reinter bones from the plowed fields to steamer trunks for reburial.

Long before Semiahmoo and Tse-whit-zen village incidents, Samish people carried the burden of properly returning ancestors to sacred ground.

As things progressed with Samish people and European settlers, Samish and other Coast Salish people adapted to the ever-changing environment.

War canoe races were held on Guemes Channel and in Fidalgo Bay.

The New Guemes Village had been disbanded. This may have been due in part to non-payment of taxes and pressure from white non-native settlers wanting to control one of the only sources of fresh spring water on Guemes Island.

A small group of Samish established a row of cabins near the fish canneries at Ship Harbor when Anacortes became the salmon canning capital of the world from about 1905 to 1917. It is recognized on many contemporaneous maps of the time as a Samish village.

A few members of the Edwards, Stone, Cagey and McLeod families got allotments at Swinomish or Lummi reservations. Land available for allotment on these reservations ended by around 1908.

The vast majority of the Samish people remained off-reservation by one means or another.

In 1913, landless tribes in Puget Sound formed the Northwest Federation of American Indians to resolve their status as tribes and to assert their treaty rights. Sarsfield “Sass” Kavanaugh , a key Samish leader, was one of the first founders and was a president of the federation.

After the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855, tribes such as the Samish, Duwamish, Nooksack, Snoqualmie, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, and Upper Skagit primarily did not move to the assigned reservations. They continued to reside along the shore, lakes, and rivers and preserved their tribal identities.

In 1916, the State of Washington ruled that off-reservation fishing was subject to state control and illegal. Any natives fishing off-reservation would be arrested.

Samish did not move to the assigned reservation, which meant that they would be arrested for fishing. During the 1910s, Charles Roblin documented off-reservation Indians, but many Samish people were misidentified as Clallam or Skagit. Roblin began compiling a list of claimants in 1916, and only included Indians not already appearing on tribal censuses for western Washington.

In 1934, the U.S. Court of Claims ruled that Samish are a party to the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, but found that their claims were entirely offset by government expenditures made on their behalf. In the case, Samish was held to be a still-existing, separate tribe of Indians that had lost their lands without compensation under the treaty, but the court awarded no damages. The Samish tribe were ruled to continue to exist.

On June 18th, 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA), which pushed tribal governments to adopt U.S. style governance. The IRA aimed at decreasing federal control of American Indian affairs and increasing Indian self-governance and responsibility. It offered federal subsidies to tribes that adopted constitutions similar to that of the United States and replaced their governments with city council style governments.

Samish voted to endorse the IRA, but was not allowed to reorganize under the Act because it was limited to reservation Indians.

After the war, in 1946, the Indian Claims Commission Act was created as a process for tribes to file grievances against the United States for land lost and not fairly compensated through treaties.

In 1951, Samish adopted a new constitution and in 1952, the tribe filed a new land claim action in the Indian Claims Commission (ICC) against the United States based upon the inadequate compensation the tribe received for land that was taken by the Treaty of Point Elliott.

In 1958, the ICC affirmed Samish tribe as a successor in interest to the Treaty Samish signatories that had continued to exist as a tribe up to the time of this court decision.

The ICC awarded approximately $5000 to the Samish tribe as repayment for all the ceded lands.

Samish tribe refused to accept this settlement in part because the small amount was an insult, and also the federal government refused to distribute the money to the tribe, but instead wanted to distribute the money per capita to all Samish descendants.

In 1966, BIA clerk, Pat Simmons, was directed to prepare a list of recognized tribes as part of the Organizational Status of Indian Groups Within Bureau Jurisdiction as of November 14th, 1966.

Samish tribe was listed as a recognized, unorganized (meaning not organized under the IRA) tribe on the BIA Directory of Tribes.

In 1967, Samish and other tribes from the surrounding areas came together and united to form a single body, creating the Small Tribes Organization of Western Washington (STOWW).

STOWW is an inter-tribal organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Washington.

In 1969, the list of tribes originally prepared in 1966 was modified to exclude tribes that had not organized under the IRA and informally began to be used by the BIA as the list of recognized tribes. Samish did not find out that this list existed and that Samish had been dropped from it until Samish’s federal acknowledgment litigation in 1994.

Throughout the 1970s, tribal exercise of off-reservation fishing grew contentious between tribes and Washington Department of Fisheries and non-native fishermen.

Because of this and other constraints being put on Washington tribes, tribes in the Northwest began to pursue their treaty rights, and sought federal support.

In September 1970, the United States Attorney filed an action in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington alleging that the state of Washington had infringed on the treaty rights of the Hoh, Makah, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Quileute, and Skokomish tribes.

In 1971, Indian Health Services determined that Samish citizens were eligible to be treated at IHS clinics.

In 1972, Samish tribal leader Ken Hansen asked BIA for confirmation of the Samish tribe's status as a recognized tribe.

On February 12, 1974, Federal Judge George Boldt issued an historic ruling in US v. WA, reaffirming the rights of Washington's Indian Tribes to fish in accustomed places. The "Boldt Decision" allocated 50 percent of the annual catch to treaty tribes, which enraged other fishermen.

Following this, in August 1974, Samish tribe submitted a constitution and base roll to BIA and requested recognition by the federal government. At the same time, the Samish tribe moved to intervene in U.S. v. WA. The BIA internally stated that the Agency needed to create criteria for recognizing a tribe, since none existed at this time.

In 1978, the Department of Interior issued new regulations on recognizing Indian tribes, creating the Federal Acknowledgment Process, also known as FAP. The acknowledgment process is the Department's administrative process by which petitioning groups that meet the criteria are given Federal "acknowledgment" as Indian tribes and by which they become eligible to receive services provided to members of Indian tribes.

In February of 1979, the Samish tribe resubmitted its petition for re-recognition under the newly established FAP. Also in 1979, Judge Boldt, in his last action as judge in the US vs. WA case, denied the Samish tribe’s petition to exercise off-reservation treaty fishing rights and adopted the United States' 1976 proposed findings of fact and conclusions about Samish without any changes.

In 1981, Samish appealed its denial of off-reservation treaty fishing rights to the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

The 9th Circuit ruled Judge Boldt used the wrong legal standard but confirmed denial of Samish off-reservation treaty fishing rights.

Judge Canby in dissent states the evidence was tainted under incorrect legal standard and should have been remanded for a new trial under the correct legal standard.

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court denied review of the 9th Circuit decision on US vs. WA and the BIA issued a decision against Samish petition for federal re-recognition under Federal Acknowledgment Process (FAP), based in part on results of US vs. WA case.

In 1983, The Maiden of Deception Pass was unveiled and re-energized the Samish tribe.

The Maiden of Deception Pass: Ko-kwal-alwoot was a beautiful Samish woman. She was gathering seafood one day when a young man from beneath the sea saw her and fell in love. But when this man of the sea asked her father for her hand in marriage, he refused, for fear she would drown. The young man warned Ko-kwal-alwoot's father that the seafood would disappear unless she married him. When his warning proved to be true, Ko-kwal-alwoot's father granted permission for the marriage.

The beautiful woman waded into the sea to join her new husband. Once again the seafood returned and was plentiful. Ko-kwal-alwoot returned to her people once a year for four years. Barnacles had grown upon her hands and arms, and her long raven hair turned to kelp. Chill winds followed wherever she walked, and she seemed to be unhappy out of the sea. Seeing this, Ko-Kwal-Alwoot's people told her she did not need to return to them. And so Ko-kwal-alwoot lives eternally underwater, ensuring her land has an abundance of food and pure spring-water. Since that day, she has been the Samish tribe's guiding spirit providing protection as they travel the waters of the ancestors.

Tracy W. Powell, a local carver from Anacortes, WA carved the 23-foot story pole out of Western Red Cedar, which resides at Rosario Head in Deception Pass State Park.

After the unveiling of the Maiden of Deception Pass, Samish tribe became re-energized.

As Samish tribe continued to be more recognized in the community, in 1987, the BIA issued a final decision rejecting the Samish recognition petition.

Out of frustration, Samish Chairman Ken Hansen and attorney Russel Barsh filed for Endangered Species Act protection to draw attention to the situation.

The petition was denied by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as not meriting a year-long "status review" to determine if their existence was at risk.

In 1989, Samish filed an appeal in federal district court to overturn the BIA denial of federal re-recognition.

In 1992, Federal district court Judge Zilly overturned the BIA's denial of Samish federal recognition and ordered a new hearing. Judge Zilly held that the Samish had been denied due process in the BIA's evaluation of their acknowledgment petition.

The court vacated the agency's earlier decision and remanded for a formal adjudication under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Late Chairwoman Margaret Greene told New York Times reporter Tim Egan in 1992:

"Our Samish people have survived. We have conquered the urban area. We have people working at Boeing. We have teachers. We have pilots. But we still want our Indian identity".

In 1994, BIA Administrative Law Judge Torbett held a six-day administrative judicial hearing by Samish and the United States.

In August of 1995, Judge Torbett issued findings of fact that the Samish tribe continually existed, had asserted governmental authority, and had not merged with another tribe. Judge Torbett held that the Samish tribe met the mandatory federal requirements for federal acknowledgment, and that the tribe was formally entitled to federal recognition.

The 9th Circuit confirmed the decision of US District Judge Zilly to remand the Samish petition for acknowledgment for a new hearing, just as Judge Torbett's recommended decision was issued. Judge Torbett was not aware of the 9th Circuit decision when his decision was finalized.

In November 1995, BIA Assistant Secretary issued a weakened decision to recognize Samish tribe after having met ex parte with BIA solicitor Scott Keep and opposing Indian tribes. This decision stripped findings of fact in regards to Samish continued existence as a tribe. Samish appealed the removal of findings of fact to the US District Court.

The BIA published its final administrative determination of Samish re- recognition on April 26, 1996 with several findings of fact removed. Samish continued its legal proceedings to reinstate Judge Torbett’s recommended findings in support of Samish federal recognition.

On October 15th, 1996, US District Court Judge Zilly issued the following order:

"Because the Bureau of Indian Affairs has repeatedly and consistently disregarded the rights of the Samish and caused extraordinary delay in the processing of the Samish's claims, the Court finds that it should grant relief without remand to the agency. The appropriate remedy under the unique circumstances of this case is to reinstate the three contested findings of the Administrative Law Judge that were arbitrarily rejected by the decision maker after her ex parte meeting with the government's lawyer."

In 1997, The BIA negotiated the "New Tribes" Self-Determination Agreement funding contract for $269,000. The Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975 (Public Law 93-638) authorized the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, and other government agencies to enter into contracts with, and make grants directly to, federally recognized Indian tribes. The Samish tribe was only allocated a small proportion under New Tribes funding that other federally-recognized tribes received to serve their members.

The Samish Indian Nation Elders Nutrition Program was awarded $45,000.

Samish Nation Indian Health Services initially proposed $1.5 million for a clinic, however, a moratorium on new tribes' contracts delayed funding for two more years, and the tribe was ultimately awarded a much reduced annual funding agreement.

Samish Nation's Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) Preschool was awarded $78,000.

In 2002, the Head Start grant was awarded to Samish. Head Start programs promote school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income families by supporting the development of the whole child.

Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide services to over a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory, in farmworker camps, and in over 155 tribal communities. Head Start programming is responsive to the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage of each child and family. More than 80 percent of children served by Head Start programs are 3- and 4-year-olds. 

Also in 2002, Samish contracted for the BIA Roads and Transportation Program. The BIA roads program, also known as the Indian Reservation Roads program, is meant to meet the transportation needs of American Indians in the United States. Resources provide funds for planning, designing, construction, and maintenance of road and transportation activities.

The program is jointly administered by the Federal Lands Highway Program and the BIA. BIA funded roads projects become public roads that provide access to and within Indian reservations and Indian trust lands.

For the first time ever, in 2005, Samish Indian Nation hosted the Tribal Journey Canoes at the Fidalgo Bay RV Resort.

In 2007, The Samish Gallery of Native Arts opened at 708 Commercial Ave in Anacortes, and offered exquisitely crafted works by master tribal artists in an elegant, boutique, museum-like setting.

Samish Indian Nation Councilman, David Blackinton, who was in charge of the new venue, said "The goal is to display art of the highest caliber that will inspire local youth. It’s the picture window, so to speak. We want to encourage the young artists. We wanted to focus on Coast Salish, whether it’s traditional or contemporary".

After six years of serving the local Anacortes community, the gallery closed in 2013, the carving activities moved to the Beaver Lodge at the administrative campus.

In February 2009, the US Supreme Court issued a decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, in which the court held the BIA could not take land into trust for the Narragansett tribe because the tribe was not federally recognized at the time of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. This ruling was interpreted to apply to other tribes acknowledged after 1934 and requests for the BIA to take land into trust for them, raising uncertainty about Samish’s pending applications.  

In June 2009, Samish tribe held their first Camp Samish. Camp Samish became an annual cultural summer camp on Samish Island for multi-generational tribal citizens, from elders to youth.

Cultural crafts, Coast Salish language learning, storytelling, singing and dancing, and beach walks all take part on this long weekend event. From year to year attendees choose clam digging, nettle processing, making regalia such as bracelets, wool headbands, pouches, beading, walking sticks, cedar pendants, and more.

In 2010, The Memorandum of Agreement with Anacortes School district for Tribal History & Curriculum Project was reached.

The Sullivan property was purchased adjacent to the Lake Campbell Property.

Washington State Department of Natural Resources transferred the title of 11-acre Huckleberry Island to Samish Indian Nation, to manage permanently as open public access.

Samish purchased the property at 1809 Commercial Ave in Anacortes for the Samish Health and Human Services program.

In 2012, Samish purchased 39 acres at North Lake Campbell for better road access to Campbell Lake Trust property.

Samish purchased 1.6 acres of undeveloped land on Lopez Island near Mud Bay.

Aside from purchasing land and property, Samish was also continuing to grow as an organization.

In 2014, the US Department of Interior issued the M-Opinion on the “Meaning of ‘Under Federal Jurisdiction’ for the Purposes of the Indian Reorganization Act”, clarifying the agency interpretation and outlining a two part test to determine if a tribe was under federal jurisdiction in 1934. Samish was required to submit evidence of being under federal jurisdiction prior to 1934 for each pending fee to trust application.  

In 2012, the Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts in the Puyallup district signed an agreement with Samish, agreeing to return 37 Karshner artifacts that had cultural significance for the Samish people. In exchange, the Samish tribe agreed to provide the museum with contemporary objects created by tribal citizens.

The Karshner Center Artifact Exchange took place in 2015.

In 2016, Samish acquired the Summit Park property off of Highway 20 for Samish program expansion.

The Chelangen Department was then created to connect all language, history and cultural activities.

In 2017, Samish acquired 2 acres on 34th Street in Anacortes for Housing Development.

Samish’s goal is to achieve a blended and mixed-income community for its elderly and disabled tribal citizens.

Following the acreage purchased for housing development, in 2018, Samish purchased the east half of the Cannery Building in Anacortes for Samish Heath and Human Services programs.

In September of 2019 Samish purchased the west half of the Cannery building for tribal health office expansion and economic development.

In March 2020, US Department of Interior withdrew the 2014 M-Opinion on the meaning of “under federal jurisdiction in 1934” for purposes of the BIA taking land into trust.  This may adversely impact future fee to trust applications from Samish, however the Nation’s pending fee to trust applications will still be reviewed under the two part test set forth in the 2014 M-Opnion guidance.  

In May 2020, with key investments from local community partners and a Capital Budget line item from WA State legislature, Samish purchased D Avenue Nursery, for the purpose of Early Childhood Education facility and services expansion.

“It’s taken us a long time to get here, but we’re moving forward.” - Current Samish Tribal Chairman Tom Wooten

Contribute to the Samish Collections

If you have any photographs, blue cards, documents, or other items relating to the Samish Indian Nation that you would like to donate, please contact Jason Ticknor, Samish Archivist at samish@samishtribe.nsn.us.

StoryMap Created By: Casey Palmer-McGee, Samish Indian Nation GIS Program Manager

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