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Shoalwater Bay Tribal History & Westport Connection

Cultural Continuity, Ancestral Lands, & Dynamic Revetment

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Shoalwater Bay Tribe

Descendants of Lower Chehalis and Willapa Chinook peoples
Traditional lands span from Tokeland to Westport (ts-a-lis)
Over 2,000 years of living in harmony with coastal ecosystems

Ancestral Territory

The original territory of the Shoalwater Bay peoples consisted of a vast network of waterways along the coast, stretching from Ilwaco to Aberdeen and everywhere in between. From Westport, the territory continued east along the Chehalis River to present-day Satsop, Washington.

The Shoalwater Bay Tribe are the descendants of two distinct but related peoples: the Lower Chehalis and the Willapa Chinook. This lineage connects us to a vast and rich cultural heritage.

These traditional lands are more than just a place; they are integral to the Tribe's identity and livelihood. They extend from the area around Tokeland to Westport.

For over 2,000 years, the Tribe has maintained a relationship of harmony and reciprocity with the coastal ecosystems. This long-standing connection underscores the Tribe’s role as original stewards of the land.

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Westport: Ts-a-lis

The Chehalis name for Westport reflects its sandy terrain
An important site for travel, fishing, and gathering
Part of seasonal rounds practiced by Shoalwater ancestors

“Place of Sand”

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Reservation History & Federal Recognition

1855

Refused to sign 1855 treaty; chose to remain on ancestral lands

1866

Reservation established by presidential executive order

1971

Federal recognition of Shoalwater Bay Tribe reaffirmed sovereignty

The 1855 Treaty Negotiations:

Governor Isaac Stevens's Plan:

In 1855, Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens called a meeting at the Chehalis River for several coastal and interior tribes, including the Shoalwater Bay, Chinook, and Chehalis.

The treaty Stevens offered required all the tribes to cede their lands and relocate to a single, yet-to-be-determined reservation.

The leaders of the Shoalwater Bay tribe refused to sign, desiring a reservation at their traditional home in the bay rather than being relocated to an unfamiliar, and likely inadequate, reservation location. They also objected to being forced onto the Quinault reservation, a neighboring tribe's territory.

The negotiations collapsed, with no treaty being signed at the Chehalis River council.

Eleven years later, in 1866, a small number of Shoalwater Bay families remained on their ancestral lands.

On September 22, 1866, President Andrew Johnson issued an Executive Order establishing a 334.75-acre reservation at nám̓sč̓ac̓, a former Lower Chehalis village site.

This order allowed the Shoalwater Bay people to retain a land base for their use, essentially providing them a reservation through an executive order because they had not signed a treaty.

With this small land base, the Shoalwater Bay people could continue traditional ways of hunting, fishing, and harvesting shellfish in the bay, preserving cultural heritage.

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Connection to Dynamic Revetment

Revetment protects remaining coastal lands from erosion and sea-level rise
Supports tribal sovereignty by safeguarding cultural and residential areas
Balance of traditional values with climate adaptation strategies

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Westport and the surrounding lands are deeply rooted in tribal identity
Dynamic revetment is more than infrastructure – it is cultural survival
Partnerships respect tribal history and self-determination

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Revetment as Cultural Preservation

Protects sacred sites and ancestral lands from climate threats
Upholds long-standing relationship between the tribe and the land
Embodies Indigenous resilience and environmental stewardship

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The Tribe's Modern Community & Economy

Shoalwater Bay Casino
Law Enforcement
Library
Wellness Center
Oyster Company
Cannabis
Hospitality

Businesses and Enterprises:

Cranberry bogs
Fishing
Crabbing
Tribal Government

Employed in:

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Coastal Restoration Projects Are Collaborative�

Local, state, and Federal Partnerships

Models for integrating community perspectives and Indigenous knowledge

Protects not just the land, but also the culture and history

Coastal Restoration Projects

Projects like this are a collaborative effort involving several key partners.

The Tribe has been participating in many efforts to restore and protect the coastline, partnering with Pacific County, the North Cove community, and various state and federal agencies like NOAA, the Army Corps of Engineers, SeaGrant, of course, Ecology, and WSDOT. This is, of course, a very small list compared to the support we see, and we are incredibly grateful.

Looking ahead, the Tribe's vision includes continuing to protect the land from erosion and sea-level rise while restoring sensitive dune and marsh habitats. These projects serve as models for integrating community perspectives and Indigenous knowledge into climate science and policy.

So, next, we’ll review some of the tribe’s projects that the revetment work protects, as well as how these projects interconnect.

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Resiliency & Restoration grants support the revival of cultural practices

Protect and restore Place for hunting

Gathering shellfish and and fishing

Farm-raised proteins and sustainable produce

Grants are used to strengthen the community, often through food sovereignty and climate resilience. We view these goals as interconnected, and many of our projects are designed to address these needs directly.

Our work is focused on three key areas:

First, we want to create a central hub for the Tribe’s traditional foods. We'll be upgrading a space where we can process and store everything from elk and salmon to oysters and clams. This isn't just about food—it’s about ensuring that tribal members have access to the nourishment that has sustained their people for generations.

Second, this project is a celebration of Shoalwater culture. By revitalizing traditional hunting and gathering practices, we're not only creating a healthier community, but we're also providing a place for tribal members to come together, share knowledge, and enrich lives.

Finally, we are committed to protecting this home. Our coastal lands face increasing threats from erosion and flooding, as you know. We use grant funds to implement restoration projects for native species and create resilient habitats. This work is about protecting home and Shoalwater cultural resources for future generations. We hope to not only build a more resilient ecosystem, but also a more resilient tribe.

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Uphill Development

Motivation for Relocation: erosion, sea level rise, and tsunamis.

Planning & Collaboration

Community Structure

Infrastructure: residential lots, road network, water/wastewater, power, & Internet

Uphill Development

The Tribe’s newly published Master Plan outlines a relocation project for the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe due to risks from erosion, sea level rise, and tsunamis. The plan was developed with input from the Uplands Development Committee and the Uphill Development Team.

This project focuses on creating community nodes to consolidate public facilities, and will be developed in a phased approach, with the first phase of development including the Administration Building, Wellness Center, cultural center/museum, and Justice Center. The Middle Node will house community-focused facilities like the gym and education/afterschool buildings. The plan also includes residential lots and a new road network.

The tribe aims to move the core portion uphill, preserving as much of the lowlands as possible for habitat restoration. Currently, the Tribe allows for a village “expansion” mindset after learning lessons from other tribe’s relocation experiences. Tribal members who remain in the lowlands, as well as the enterprise and commercial facilities, all still benefit tremendously from coastal hazard mitigations!

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Uphill Development �Investment & Momentum

Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity $24.98 billion RAISE Grant

Department of Commerce (DOC) - EDA: A $1.2 million grant

Tribal Climate Resilience Program: $2,014,000 grant

Indian Health Service (IHS): $2.7 million CDS (IHS funding about $1.6 million)

Grant Funding Examples

(This is part of what coastal work, like the dynamic revetments, protects!)

While not exhaustive, funding examples like these can demonstrate the remarkable momentum and investment supporting coastal Tribal initiatives. I find it inspiring and hope that more tribes and coastal communities can carry that same momentum forward.

Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant: for the Upland Village Relocation Road Project.

Department of Commerce (DOC) grant: from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) was awarded to support tribal disaster planning and relocation of facilities, and the final Master Plan official document

Tribal Climate Resilience Program: through the Tribal Climate Resilience Competitive Grant program through WA Commerce for planning and design of approximately 2 Miles of roadway feasability and utility for later phases of the upland development

Indian Health Service (IHS): for water and sewer infrastructure planning and design

The tribe has also used its own funds, primarily from gaming machine leasing, to purchase land for the relocation.

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Thank you

Planning@shoalwaterbay-nsn.gov

Red Plains 3D Flythrough