Strict Standards: Declaration of ezSQL_mysql::query() should be compatible with ezSQLcore::query() in /home/indian/public_html/lib/ez_sql_mysql.php on line 0 Strict Standards: Declaration of ezSQL_mysql::escape() should be compatible with ezSQLcore::escape() in /home/indian/public_html/lib/ez_sql_mysql.php on line 0 Jamestown S'Klallam Indians | Washington | All Indian Casinos Directory

Jamestown S'Klallam Indians

Mailing Address

1033 Old Blyn Highway
Sequim, WA 98382

Contact Information

360-683-1109

Website

http://www.jamestowntribe.org/jstweb_2007/index1024.htm

Casino(s)

Cultural History

The Jamestown S'Klallam Indians has evolved from the constituent communities that make up the S'Klallam Tribe. The tribe's name literally means "Strong People". Their group is both Salish cultural and linguistic. Most historians regard them as related to the Sook and some other tribes of the British Columbia as well as having had relationships with the Tribes of the Puget Sound Area. The Jamestown S'Klallam Indians is a well defined community whose population grew thanks to the intermarriages between other neighboring tribes. These intermarriages as well as the cooperative social ties have made the tribe into what it is today. They have a steady social standing in the society. Their first encounter with the Whites was in 1790, when they were contacted as a signatory to the Point No Point Treaty between them and the United States government in 1855. Today, the tribe is divided into three parts namely the Jamestown Tribe, the Lower Elwha Reservation and lastly, the Port Gamble Reservation. The Port Gamble Reservation was established in 1930 as a result of the "realignment" of original villages. The Point No Point Treaty in 1855 had provisions that included a payment of sixty thousand dollars to the tribe which can be payable in twenty years. The treaty allowed the tribe to continue fishing and doing their usual lifestyle in their homeland. However, along with the treaty was the possibility of losing the land as lot allotments were not settled. The treaty also paved way to the Jamestown S'Klallam Indians to be moved into a reservation which they shared with the Skokomish Indians. 
 
Through Lord James Bach, the tribe was able to set aside enough money worth $500 which allowed them to purchase a 210 acre tract. The land was near the area of Dungeness, Washington Territory; thus the beginning of the Jamestown S'Klallam Indian Community as it is known today. There were only more or less one hundred Indians during that time so their land was enough to cover for their needs. They survived through gardening, fishing and working in the neighboring pulp mills. The Jamestown S'Klallam Indians were formally recognized in the Indian Reorganization Act of 1935-1939. Because of the Act, the tribe was given the choice to either resettle in another reservation or remain in their current territories. Upon choosing to remain in their territory, the Jamestown S'Klallam Indian received services from the Federal Government until 1953 but was then left to settle alone independently. They were then considered to be distinct from the other two groups and were labeled to be the progressive Indian community. The tribesmen sought for more economical development and entered educational institutions.
 
Today, there are 574 enrolled Tribal members, most of them living in the Olympic Peninsula while others are in Jamestown. Their enterprises include 7Cedars Casino, JKT Development, Inc., Jamestown Health and Medical Supply Co., Northwest Native Expressions Gallery and Jamestown Fireworks.

Featured Tribal News

No featured news.