Chelamela and Chemapho of the Long Tom Watershed

Chelamela and Chemapho Kalapuyans The Long Tom Watershed was the original homeland to two major tribes of Kalapuyan Indians, the Chelamela and Chemapho tribes. The Chelamela occupied the upper or southern part of the watershed from the Coast Range to the Willamette at Eugene, and from the Calapooia range to the Reservoir. The Chemapho occupied from the Coast Range to the Willamette and from the Reservoir to just before Philomath at the north. The tribes lived in permanent villages in the middle to upper reaches of the watershed along tributaries to the Long Tom River. The foothills of the Coast … Continue reading Chelamela and Chemapho of the Long Tom Watershed

Chelamela and Chemapho Kalapuyans

The Long Tom River and its tributaries was the original homelands to two major tribes of Kalapuyan Indians, the Chelamela and Chemapho tribes. The Chelamela occupied the upper or southern part of the watershed from the Coast Range to the Willamette at Eugene, and from the Calapooia range to the Reservoir. The Chemapho occupied from the Coast Range to the Willamette and from the Reservoir to just before Philomath at the north. The tribes lived in permanent villages in the middle to upper reaches of the watershed along tributaries to the Long Tom River. The foothills of the Coast range … Continue reading Chelamela and Chemapho Kalapuyans

Reservation for the Chemapho Band of Calapooias 1855

In March 1855, the tribes in the Willamette Valley needed to be resettled onto temporary reservations until they could be removed to a permanent reservation. Palmer, the Indian Superintendent for Oregon, did not know how long resettlement would take and so planned for as much as four years until the event happened. In the summer of 1855 violence erupted in southern Oregon and Palmer was forced to advance his timetable and had to  begin removal of the tribes from the vicinity of the settlers sooner. He worked with the army to choose the Grand Ronde Valley, and buy the DLCs … Continue reading Reservation for the Chemapho Band of Calapooias 1855