Treaty of Medicine Creek
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Medicine Creek was an 1854 treaty
between the United States
, and the Nisqually
, Puyallup
and Squaxin Island
tribe
s, along with six other smaller Native American
tribes.
delta, along a creek then known as She-nah-num by the natives, or Medicine Creek by white settlers. The creek is now known as McAllister Creek.
The signing took place in Thurston County, Washington on December 26, 1854 in a grove of fir trees well known to the tribes. Though unmarked and not officially recognized as a historical location, the site was avoided during the creation of Interstate 5
in the 1960s. Since the treaty signing, one tree had remained standing from the original grove, known as Treaty Tree. Treaty Tree was recognized as diseased by 1975, and by 1979 was dead. Seeds from Treaty Tree that were gathered in the 1970s were re-planted in a circle 40 feet from it. It was left standing and was still visible from the Interstate until 2006, finally falling during strong windstorms in December, 2006.
in exchange for establishment of three reservations
, cash payments over a period of twenty years, and recognition of traditional native fishing
and hunting
rights. Those rights were ignored by the territorial and later state government, until the Boldt Decision
in 1974. Since that decision, the tribes named in the treaty have had a recognized right to half of the fish caught on traditional lands throughout south Puget Sound
.
The original Nisqually reservation was in rocky terrain and unacceptable to the Nisqually, who were a riverside fishing people. They went to war in 1855. An unfortunate outcome of a year of skirmishes that followed was that Nisqually Chief Leschi
was hanged for murder. (He was exonerated in 2004.)
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the Nisqually
Nisqually (tribe)
Nisqually is a Lushootseed Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. The tribe lives on a reservation in the Nisqually River valley near the river delta. The Nisqually Indian Reservation, at , comprises 20.602 km² of land area on both sides of the river, in...
, Puyallup
Puyallup (tribe)
The Puyallup are a Coast Salish Native American tribe from western Washington state, U.S.A. They were forcibly relocated onto reservation lands in what is today Tacoma, Washington, in late 1854, after signing the Treaty of Medicine Creek. The Puyallup Indian Reservation today is one of the most...
and Squaxin Island
Squaxin Island Tribe
The Squaxin Island Tribe is a Native American tribal government in western Washington state in the United States. 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...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s, along with six other smaller Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes.
Site
The site of the treaty was near the Nisqually RiverNisqually River
The Nisqually River is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Cascade Range southwest of Tacoma, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound....
delta, along a creek then known as She-nah-num by the natives, or Medicine Creek by white settlers. The creek is now known as McAllister Creek.
The signing took place in Thurston County, Washington on December 26, 1854 in a grove of fir trees well known to the tribes. Though unmarked and not officially recognized as a historical location, the site was avoided during the creation of Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
in the 1960s. Since the treaty signing, one tree had remained standing from the original grove, known as Treaty Tree. Treaty Tree was recognized as diseased by 1975, and by 1979 was dead. Seeds from Treaty Tree that were gathered in the 1970s were re-planted in a circle 40 feet from it. It was left standing and was still visible from the Interstate until 2006, finally falling during strong windstorms in December, 2006.
Treaty
The treaty granted 2.24 million acres (9,060 km²) of land to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in exchange for establishment of three reservations
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
, cash payments over a period of twenty years, and recognition of traditional native fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
rights. Those rights were ignored by the territorial and later state government, until the Boldt Decision
Boldt Decision
United States v. Washington, 384 F. Supp. 312 , was a 1974 court case which affirmed the right of most of the tribes in Washington to continue to harvest salmon...
in 1974. Since that decision, the tribes named in the treaty have had a recognized right to half of the fish caught on traditional lands throughout south 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 original Nisqually reservation was in rocky terrain and unacceptable to the Nisqually, who were a riverside fishing people. They went to war in 1855. An unfortunate outcome of a year of skirmishes that followed was that Nisqually Chief Leschi
Chief Leschi
Chief Leschi was chief of the Nisqually Native American tribe. He was hanged for murder in 1858, but exonerated in 2004.-Life:...
was hanged for murder. (He was exonerated in 2004.)