Makah Tribe

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Indigenous Peoples of the United States Research

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Indigenous Peoples of Washington

Makah Tribe

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Various Spellings: Makah, Maha

Ancestral Homeland: Cape Flattery, now northwestern Washington.

Whalers

Tribal Headquarters

Makah Tribal Council
PO Box 115
Neah Bay, Wa 98357
Ph. 1-360-645-2201
email - makah@centurytel.net

Makah Cultural and Research Center
P.O. Box 160
Neah Bay, WA 98357
Ph. 1-360-645-2711
Fax: 1-360-645-2656
email - makahmuseum@centurytel.net

• Official Makah Nation web site

History

Brief Timeline

• 1788: John Meares anchored near cost of Tatoosh Island
• 1790: Spanish establish a fort at Neah Bay
• 1800s: Epidemics killed many
• 1815
• 1825
• 1855 Treay of Neah Bay ceded land to United States
• 1863: Boarding school established at Neah Bay

Additional References to the History of the Tribe

Frederick Webb Hodge, in his Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, gave a more complete history of the Makah tribe, with estimations of the population of the tribe at various time periods. Additional details are given in John Swanton's The Indian Tribes of North.

Reservations

This tribe is primarily associated with the Makah Reservation in Washington.

Agencies

Makah Agency

Neah Bay Agency - Tahola

Records

The majority of records of individuals were those created by the agencies. Some records may be available to tribal members through the tribal headquarters.They were (and are) the local office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and were charged with maintaining records of the activities of those under their responsibility. Among these records are:

• Allotment records
• Annuity rolls
• Census records
• Correspondence
• Health records
• Reports
• School census and records
• Vital records

Correspondence and Census

Tribe	Agency	Location of OriginalRecords	Pre-1880 Correspondence M 234 RG 75 Rolls Roll Number	FHL Film Number	Post-1885 Census M 595 RG 75 Rolls Roll Number	FHL Film Number
Makah	Neah Bay (Tahola) Agency, 1878-1952	Seattle	-	-	282-86	FHL Films 579693-696 and FHL Films 583023-028

School Records

Neah Bay School

Treaties

• 1815
• 1825
• 1855

Vital Records

• Neah Bay Agency, M595,
  • Births and deaths 1925-1932, FHL Film 579696

Important Websites

• Official Makah Nation web site
• Constitution and Bylaws of the Makah Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, Adopted in 1936
• Makah Tribe Wikipedia

Family History Library