Kamilche, Washington
Encyclopedia
Kamilche also known as Squaxin Island Tribe is an unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, USA.
Primarily a farm area, Kamilche is also the home to the Squaxin Indian Tribe. It is at the crossroads of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 108
. Kamilche sits at the edge of Little Skookum Inlet
, a finger waterway off of Puget Sound
.
going back hundreds of years.
. The Squaxin Island Tribe is made up of several Lushootseed clans: the Noo-Seh-Chatl, Steh-Chass, Squi-Aitl, T'Peeksin, Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish, Squawksin, and S'Hotle-Ma-Mish. They live along several inlets of southern Puget Sound
.
The Squaxin Island people speak the Lushootseed language. They moved onto their reservation in modern-day Mason County, Washington, in 1855. The Squaxin Island Tribe was one of the first Native American tribes in the U.S. to enter into the Self Governance Demonstration Project with the federal government.
The Squaxin Island Indian Reservation is in southeastern Mason County, Washington. Most of the main reservation is composed of Squaxin Island
, but there is also a small part of 26.13 acres (105,744.5 m²) at Kamilche, in addition to two parcels of off-reservation trust land near Kamilche, as well as a plot of 6.03 acres (24,402.6 m²) across Pickering Passage
from Squaxin Island and a plot of 35.93 acres (145,403.7 m²) on Harstine Island
, across Peale Passage
. The total land area including off-reservation trust lands is 6.942 km² (2.68 sq mi, or 1,715.46 acres). Of the total resident population of 405 persons (2000 census
), 383 lived in off-reservation trust land to the southeast of Kamilche, and 22 lived on Harstine Island, while the bulk of the reservation's territory, Squaxin Island, was unpopulated.
Primarily a farm area, Kamilche is also the home to the Squaxin Indian Tribe. It is at the crossroads of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 108
State Route 108 (Washington)
State Route 108 is a state highway in Grays Harbor and Mason counties, of the U.S. state of Washington. It extends from SR 8 in the city of McCleary, east to an interchange with U.S. Route 101 in Kamilche...
. Kamilche sits at the edge of Little Skookum Inlet
Little Skookum Inlet
Little Skookum Inlet is a branch of south Puget Sound which extends westward from Totten Inlet. The community of Kamilche, Washington is on Little Skookum inlet.- References :...
, a finger waterway off of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
.
| Development Area | Year Developed |
|---|---|
| Skalapin | 1970s |
| T'peeksin | 1970s |
| Sa He Wa Mish | 1970s |
| Klah Che Min | 1970s, 2005 |
| Elder Homes | 1990s |
| New Development | 2005 |
| Apartments | 2010 |
| Cemetery | 2011 |
| Airport | Discussed |
History
The Squaxin Island Tribe's Home of Sacred Belongings in Kamilche includes a Museum Library and Research Center, where visitors can learn about the art and culture of the original inhabitants of the area. If traveling from Olympia and Interstate 5, the town of Kamilche is the first community in Mason County. It is the home and tribal center for the Squaxin Island Tribe, a culturally rich people known historically as the People of the Water for their strong connection to the natural beauty and bounty of Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
going back hundreds of years.
Squaxin Island Tribe
The Squaxin Island Tribe (also Squaxin, Squaxon) is a Native American tribal government in western Washington state in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Squaxin Island Tribe is made up of several Lushootseed clans: the Noo-Seh-Chatl, Steh-Chass, Squi-Aitl, T'Peeksin, Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish, Squawksin, and S'Hotle-Ma-Mish. They live along several inlets of southern Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
.
The Squaxin Island people speak the Lushootseed language. They moved onto their reservation in modern-day Mason County, Washington, in 1855. The Squaxin Island Tribe was one of the first Native American tribes in the U.S. to enter into the Self Governance Demonstration Project with the federal government.
The Squaxin Island Indian Reservation is in southeastern Mason County, Washington. Most of the main reservation is composed of Squaxin Island
Squaxin Island
Squaxin Island is in the extreme southwestern part of Puget Sound in Mason County, Washington, USA. The island is an Indian reservation of the Native American Squaxin Island Tribe. It once contained a Washington State Park by the same name, which has since been closed, and the land returned to the...
, but there is also a small part of 26.13 acres (105,744.5 m²) at Kamilche, in addition to two parcels of off-reservation trust land near Kamilche, as well as a plot of 6.03 acres (24,402.6 m²) across Pickering Passage
Pickering Passage
Pickering Passage is a strait, in the southern end of part of Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. Entirely within Mason County, the Pickering Passage separates Hartstine Island from the mainland, and connects Totten Inlet with the north end of Case Inlet.Pickering Passage flows past the...
from Squaxin Island and a plot of 35.93 acres (145,403.7 m²) on Harstine Island
Harstine Island, Washington
Harstine Island is an unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States, located on a similarly named island. The island is located west of Case Inlet in southern Puget Sound, north of Olympia. It has a land area of , and had a population of 1,002 as of the 2000 census...
, across Peale Passage
Peale Passage
Peale Passage is a strait, in the southern of part of Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. Entirely within Mason County, Washington, Peale Passage separates Hartstine Island from Squaxin Island....
. The total land area including off-reservation trust lands is 6.942 km² (2.68 sq mi, or 1,715.46 acres). Of the total resident population of 405 persons (2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
), 383 lived in off-reservation trust land to the southeast of Kamilche, and 22 lived on Harstine Island, while the bulk of the reservation's territory, Squaxin Island, was unpopulated.
Little Creek Casino Resort
The tribe also owns and operates Little Creek Casino and Resort. Near the casino is the Kamilche Visitor Center.External links
- Kamilche page of the official Mason County tourism website