Cowlitz Indian Tribe

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The Cowlitz Tribe is primarily associated with the state of Washington.

Cultural / linguistic group: Salish

Tribal Headquarters
Cowlitz Indian Tribe 1055 9th Ave Suite B Longview WA 98632 Ph. (360) 577-8140


 * Official Cowlitz Tribal web site

Brief Timeline
1812: fur traders encountered the tribe

1818: the North West Company (fur) alied with the Iroquois and raided the Cowlitz villages

1820s and 1830s the Hudson Bay Company established forts (Cowlitz Farm and Colitz Prairie)

1830-1850: epidemics of measles, cholera, smallpox depopulated the tribe

1855: Chehalis River Treaty Council- they would not sign the Treaty

1855-1856: perticipated in the Yamima War

1863: U.S. government place their land for sale

1872: Chehalis Reservation established

1887: mingled with the Upper Chehalis, on Puyallup Reservation

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 Cowlitz 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 America.

Reservations
Chehalis Reservation

Puyallup Reservation

Important Web Sites

 * Official Cowlitz Tribal web site
 * Cowlitz Tribe Wikipedia