Stillaguamish Tribe

The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington, formerly known as the Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington, is a federally recognized tribe of Stillaguamish people. They are a tribe of Southern Coast Salish indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest located in Washington. Other Stillaguamish people are enrolled in the Tulalip Tribes. The name has been used since 1850 to refer to indigenous peoples living along the Stillaguamish River. In 1855, they used the name Stoluck-wa-mish River Tribe, which is how they sign the Point Elliott Treaty. The Stillaguamish Tribe is composed of descendants of the 1855 Stoluck-wa-mish River Tribe. In 1855 the population resided on the main branch of the river, as well as the north and south forks. The name Stillaguamish, under various spellings, has been used since around 1850 to refer to those Indians who lived along the Stillaguamish River and camped along its tributaries. They were a party to the treaty of Point Elliott of January 22, 1855 under the spelling Stoluck-wa-mish. No separate reservation was established for the Stoluck-wa-mish Indians. Some moved to the Tulalip Reservation, but the majority remained in the aboriginal area along the Stillaguamish River. Tribal headquarters are located in Arlington, Washington.

The reservation spans 64 acres from the Angel of the Winds Casino to 236th Street Northeast. A reservation is an area recognized by the U.S. government as a permanent homeland for a Native American tribe. A tribe can be recognized by the government without having a reservation.There are nearly 300 members of the Stillaguamish Tribe. It’s been 38 years since the tribe gained federal recognition, and at least 28 since leaders first tried to establish a reservation.Their first attempt was rejected by the U.S. government because one of the properties did not meet all the requirements for being a tribal trust land, meaning the federal government owns the land but the tribe manages its use.For years, the tribe stopped pushing for a reservation. Members of the tribe found homes throughout Snohomish County, many in Arlington, Stanwood and Marysville. The Stillaguamish Tribe was one of more than 22 that signed the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, handing over several million acres to the U.S. government for minimal compensation. The Stillaguamish kept their fishing rights and gained federal recognition as a tribe in 1976. Though most of the tribes in Washington now have reservations, at least three are still working on designating land and gaining approval.

The Tribe’s constitution, approved by the Tribal council on January 31, 1953, provides for the administration responsibilities of Tribal government to be handled by the popularly elected six-member Stillaguamish Tribal Council. The Tribe petitioned the Secretary of Interior to acknowledge them for recognition as an Indian Tribe in 1974. On February 7, 1979, the Stillaguamish Tribe was listed in the Federal Register as eligible for Indian Health Service care and became part of the service population served by the Puget Sound Service Unit.