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.

The Stillaguamish Tribal community is located in northern Snohomish County near Arlington, Washington. It is located between the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound in the temperate Puget sound basin. The Stillaguamish Tribe’s trust lands are located in Snohomish County, Washington. The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians is headquartered in Arlington, Washington.
Arlington Washington is a rural area with abundant outdoor activities, yet near enough to a major metropolitan area for ready access to big-city services.

Formerly tribal members spoke Lushootseed, a Central Salish language. The language is written in the Latin script and a dictionary and grammar have been written in the Lushootseed.

The business development department is the economic development arm of the Stillaguamish Tribe, which is responsible for maintaining current tribally owned businesses as well as planning future investments, businesses and initiatives, for the economic benefit of the Stillaguamish Tribe.
The Tribe currently oversee the following businesses;

• The Angel of the Winds Casino Hotel
• The Banksavers Nursery & Landscaping
• The River Rock Smoke Shops
• The River Rock Tobacco & Fuel Convenience Store
• Stillaguamish Outdoor Media

The new River Rock Smoke Shop is currently under construction and scheduled to open in May 2016. The business development department is also working on a new digital billboard venture, opening in the summer of 2016. The Angel of the Winds Hotel project was successfully completed in December 2014. The new River Rock Tobacco & Fuel was successfully completed in February 2014. The Stillaguamish built the Angel of the Winds Casino on tribal land where gaming was permitted under federal law. A 125-room hotel, a gift shop and a smoke shop are under construction adjacent to the casino. The hotel is scheduled to open by spring 2015. Roadwork is also planned around the casino to patch up and widen streets and add lighting. They try to keep most of the main infrastructure as close together as possible. Pulling tribal services together also lowers costs because resources can be concentrated in one area.
Major industries in the area include aircraft manufacturing (Boeing), wood products, food processing, electronics and software.

The tribe is governed by a six-member, democratically-elected General Council.

Rainfall averages about 35 inches per year, and temperature extremes are rare.

Tribal website: http://www.stillaguamish.com/
Administration Phone: (360) 652-7362
Clinic website: http://stillaguamish.nonprofitsites.com/tribalhealthclinic.asp
Clinic Phone: (360) 435-9338

Stillaguamish Tribe
Stillaguamish Tribal Health Clinic
P.O. Box 277
902 East Maple Street
Arlington WA 98223
Phone: 360-435-9338
Webpage: http://www.stillaguamish.com/
Hours of Operation are:
Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Extended hours on Wednesday to 6:00 pm
Island Crossing Counseling Services Building
4126 172nd St NE, Arlington, WA 98223
Phone:(360) 651-1251
ISLAND CROSSING COUNSELING SERVICES
21123 Smokey Point Blvd.
Arlington, WA 98223
Phone:(360) 652-9640
FAX:(360) 652-2093