Kamilche, Washington

Coordinates: 47°07′50″N 123°05′48″W / 47.13056°N 123.09667°W / 47.13056; -123.09667

Kamilche, Washington
Census Designated Place (CDP)

Location of Kamilche in Mason County, Washington
Country United States
State Washington
County Mason
Area
 • Total 71.48 sq mi (184.89 km2)
 • Land 68.45 sq mi (177.3 km2)
 • Water 3.03 sq mi (7.86 km2)
Elevation 50 ft (15.24 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 2,934
 • Density 49/sq mi (126.9/km2)
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP code 98584
Area code(s) 360
GNIS feature ID 1521556[1]
Website Visit Kamilche

Kamilche also known as Squaxin Island Tribe is an census-designated place in Mason County, Washington, United States.[2] Primarily a farm area, Kamilche is also the home to the Squaxin Indian Tribe. It is at the crossroads of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 108. Kamilche sits at the edge of Little Skookum Inlet, a finger waterway off of Puget Sound.

History

The Squaxin Island Tribe's Home of Sacred Belongings in Kamilche includes a Museum Library and Research Center,[3] where visitors can learn about the art and culture of the original inhabitants of the area. If traveling from Olympia and Interstate 5, the town of Kamilche is the first community in Mason County. It is the home and tribal center for the Squaxin Island Tribe.

Squaxin Island Tribe

The Squaxin Island Tribe (also Squaxin, Squaxon) is a Native American tribal government in western Washington state in the United States. The Squaxin Island Tribe is made up of several Lushootseed clans: the Noo-Seh-Chatl, Steh-Chass, Squi-Aitl, T'Peeksin, Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish, Squawksin, and S'Hotle-Ma-Mish. They live along several inlets of southern Puget Sound.

The Squaxin Island people speak the Lushootseed language. They moved onto their reservation in modern-day Mason County, Washington, in 1855. The Squaxin Island Tribe was one of the first Native American tribes in the U.S. to enter into the Self Governance Demonstration Project with the federal government.

The Squaxin Island Indian Reservation is in southeastern Mason County, Washington. Most of the main reservation is composed of Squaxin Island, but there is also a small part of 26.13 acres (105,700 m2) at Kamilche, in addition to two parcels of off-reservation trust land near Kamilche, as well as a plot of 6.03 acres (24,400 m2) across Pickering Passage from Squaxin Island and a plot of 35.93 acres (145,400 m2) on Harstine Island, across Peale Passage. The total land area including off-reservation trust lands is 6.942 km² (2.68 sq mi, or 1,715.46 acres). Of the total resident population of 405 persons (2000 census), 383 lived in off-reservation trust land to the southeast of Kamilche, and 22 lived on Harstine Island, while the bulk of the reservation's territory, Squaxin Island, was unpopulated.

Little Creek Casino Resort

Little Creek Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe. LCCR is a Northwest Native American themed Resort.

References

  1. ↑ "Kamilche". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ Kamilche, WA HomeTownLocator, USA.
  3. ↑ Squaxin Island Tribe's Museum Library and Research Center, USA.
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