This file made possible by: The State of Washington
Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation

The incident known as the Mashel Massacre occurred in late March 1856 on the Mashel prairie just north of the confluence of the Mashel and Nisqually rivers (present-day Pierce County). It was the last episode of the Puget Sound Indian war [...]

Introduction: In 1915 the Superintendent of the Nisqually Agency appealed to his superiors to provide a modest income to Leschi’s Widow. His letter appears below.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE
Cushman Indian School.
Tacoma, Wash. Feb. 3, 1915.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Washington, D. C.
Sir:
I have the honor to invite attention to the enclosed affidavit of Mary [...]

Throws Light on Debated Medicine Creek Treaty Edwin Ells Presents Carefully Studied Paper to Pioneers’ Gathering on Famous Agreement Entered Into Between Governor Stevens and Washington Indians.
Northwestern historians and old settlers in Washington have disagreed heartily upon several points in connection with the singing of the Medicine Creek treaty, entered into by Gov. Isaac J. [...]

SECTION I
HOUSE DOCUMENT 1./ December 7, 1852

The following is part of a letter written by an Indian agent in Washington State in the 19th century. In the document the author identifies a number of characteristics of the Native Americans. His text is also filled with the type of racist attitudes towards Native Americans which were [...]

The relationship between the original inhabitants of Washington and the non-Indians who started arriving in the late 18th century is one of the great ongoing stories of this state’s history. The impact of trade, disease, culture, conflict, and law on Native Americans from this region tells us a lot about our nation and ourselves. The following is an examination of the struggle between Indians and non-Indians over the right to fish for salmon, one of the great natural resources of the Northwest.

By Cecelia Svinth Carpenter      Nisqually Tribal Historian
Tribal Life
Leschi was born to be a leader. His people believed that the stars that rose over the Nisqually Plains on the day of his birth in 1808 predestined him to become someday a war chief on behalf of his people, but ironically the title of chief would be [...]

Introduction: The following is an excerpt from The Story of Yelm , 1848-1948. It describes the violence that occurred in the counties surrounding Yelm in 1855.
War Clouds Over Yelm Prairie
War clouds began to gather. Indians forgot the food they had enjoyed at the white man’s table. White men forgot that in [...]

The Absence of Peace

Introduction: The following provides background on the fighting that broke out in the western part of Washington Territory in the mid 1850s.
Timeline
1850 – Donation Land Act passed by U.S. Congress
1853 – Longmire family moves on to land east of Yelm prairie
December 26, 1854 – Medicine Creek Treaty signed (Ratified by [...]