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 Colville Tribal Museum - Grand Coulee, WA Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 47° 57.957 W 118° 58.575
11T E 352486 N 5314405
One of the largest reservations in Washington State, the Colville Reservation is home to twelve individual nations.
Waymark Code: WMZX64
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 01/16/2019
Views: 0
2,187 square miles, or 1.4 million acres, in area, the Colville Indian Reservation is one of the largest Indian reservations in Washington State. The reservation is home to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, comprised of twelve nations, the Chelan, Chief Joseph Band of Nez Perce, Colville, Eniat, Lakes, Methow, Moses-Columbia, Nespelem, Okanogan, Palus, San Poil and Wenatchi. Established by an executive order in 1872, the reservation houses approximately 5000 tribal and 5000 non-tribal members.
In the town of Coulee Dam is the Colville Tribal Museum, exhibiting history of the Colville tribes through artefacts collected by the tribes and interpretive displays.
The Museum is filled with history collected by the Colville Confederated Tribes (Moses/Columbia, Wenatchee, Okanogan, Entiat-Chelan, Methow, Nez Perce, Palus, Nespelem, Colville, San Poil and Lake).
A gift center occupies the ground floor, where you can buy Native crafts, quilts, books, cards, posters, etc, all related to Native culture. There is also a large stock of videos which can be played to explain the geology and history of the area.
In the entryway, next to a stuffed buffalo, is a well-done mural depicting the Nez Perce Trail as well as a large photo collection.
Inside the main room are displays of basketry, beadwork, clothing and tools from this area. A diorama at the end depicts the traditional salmon fishing so important to the area, and a mural above the door shows Kettle Falls before it was inundated by the Grand Coulee Dam.
From Scenic Washington
The Colville Nations
Several tribes living in the areas now occupied by Grand Coulee Dam and Lake Roosevelt have called this place home for over 11,000 years. These tribes include the Sanpoil, Nespelem, Colville, Lakes and Spokane. For these tribes and others that lived along the Columbia River, salmon was the primary source of food and the basis for trade. Kettle Falls, located 100 miles north of Grand Coulee Dam’s current location, was the second largest salmon fishery on the Columbia River. When fish migrated to Kettle Falls each year beginning in May, tribes from around the Northwest (Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Canada) gathered to share in the abundance of salmon and to engage in trade. Little Falls and Spokane Falls, both located on the Spokane River, were also important salmon fisheries for the Spokane Tribe and other tribes.
Throughout the 1800s, settlers and gold miners from America and around the world moved into northeastern Washington State. In 1872, President Grant established the Colville Reservation by Executive Order and eventually 12 tribes would be consolidated onto the Reservation. It would become known as the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Nine years later, in 1881, President Hayes established the Spokane Reservation through another executive order. It is the home of the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
The construction of Grand Coulee Dam drastically changed the salmon-based culture of the native peoples. It blocked spawning salmon from returning to the upper Columbia River. Rising waters behind the dam submerged landforms like Kettle Falls. This loss of resources greatly impacted the tribes who centered their life on seasonal runs of migratory fish. The dam and resulting reservoir also impacted orchard-based agriculture. Towns like Peach and Plum, originally build along the Columbia River to take advantage of the river irrigation, disappeared beneath the rising water of Lake Roosevelt.
From the US Bureau of Reclamation
The "Official Tourism" URL link to the attraction: [Web Link]
The attraction’s own URL: [Web Link]
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday - Saturday
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Admission Prices:
$5
Approximate amount of time needed to fully experience the attraction: Up to 1 hour
Transportation options to the attraction: Personal Vehicle Only
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