Category: Washington Territory

Anthropology, General History, Washington TerritoryLeave a comment

James Swan: Fishing Culture of Coastal Washington Tribes

David G. Lewis, PhD

James G. Swan is a legendary scholar of Native people of the Northwest coast. He is an early federal employee in the Oregon territory and lives in the territory from 1852-1855. He originally hired on as a surveyor and worked on both the east and west coasts surveying lands. He later worked as a customs inspector at Shoalwater Bay. He was a artist and a good observer of Native peoples drawing what would become some of the most iconic images of  the Native culture in the Oregon Territory. Swan’s book The Northwest Coast, Or, Three Years’ Residence in Washington Territory is … Continue reading James Swan: Fishing Culture of Coastal Washington Tribes

columbia river, General History, Oregon indians, Umpqua Valley, Washington Territory, Willamette Valley8 Comments

Klickitat Bands Colonize the Columbia River and Northwestern Oregon

David G. Lewis, PhD

The Klickitat (Klikitat, Clickitat) tribal nation are for many people in Oregon, synonymous with “Oregon Indians.” In fact, Oregon still has stories of Klickitat trails, and a Klickitat Mountain in the Coast Range. Yet, the Klickitats are not originally from Oregon at all. Their habitations in the 19th century were the eastern flanks of the northern Cascades, that section of the range north of the Columbia River. The Clickatats claim a district of country north of the Columbia, but they are a roving tribe and are scattered about in different parts of the territory. Their number is four hundred and … Continue reading Klickitat Bands Colonize the Columbia River and Northwestern Oregon