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 [...]

Introduction: In 1849 Francis Parkman, an American author, published a novel entitled The Oregon Trail. The book dealt with Americans moving west and contained vivid scenes of pioneers, mountain men, and Indians. The book was also on the reading list for Indians attending the Cushman School in Tacoma at the turn of the century The [...]

Introduction: In this letter the local agent comments on the success of local Indians in their continued development as farmers.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE
Circular Letter. No. 900.
Cushman Indian School.
Tacoma, Wash., Oct. 22nd, 1914.
The Honorable
Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
In response to the above cited circular, I respectfully transmit herewith report of Mr. W. C. [...]

Introduction: These letters discuss the impact of Ft. Lewis on Nisqually graveyards.
The Hudson Bay Co. found the Nisqually Tribe living around the mouth of the Nisqually River when its first post was started, in 1832, on Sound, 5 miles north of the present Nisqually Reservation.
There is another graveyard on the old Ross homestead adjoining [...]

Introduction: The following commentary comes from a report written following the removal of Nisquallies to the Thurston County side of the river. In this portion of the report the author, who had spent time interviewing local Indians related to Washington Native American concerns about the status of their fishing rights. References in ( ) refer [...]

Introduction: The U.S.policy to transform Indians into American citizens eroded many of the foundations of Native culture. As the transformation continued and Indian identity was extinguished even the names of Indians began to reflect the changes going on. In the following document one can this process at work. On the left are the approximate English [...]

NARRATIVE SECTION I —- LAW AND ORDER
Annual Report 1917,
The Cushman Agency, formerly the Puyallup Consolidated Agency, comprises five small reservations, some of which are one hundred miles apart. There are also a large number of Indian homesteads on the public domain scattered over the entire Southwestern part of the State which are under this jurisdiction.

Only [...]

Introduction: The Cushman Indian school used the books from the following list in 1915. It is an interesting list, one may recognize some books that have held up over time. In contrast to what a list might look like today, this list seems to have been short on books dealing with Native Americans. Two books [...]

Introduction: The condemnation of the Pierce County section of the Nisqually Reservation for the establishment of Camp Lewis initiated decades of controversy. Here are some of the early issues described in letters from the local agent to his superiors in Washington.

Cushman Indian School,
Tacoma, Washington.
Dec. 17, 1917.
Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington D. C.
Sir:
General Burr, in command of [...]