Makah Tribe

To get started with American Indian Research



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

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

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 Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, Adopted in 1936
 * Makah Tribe Wikipedia