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The people known as the Quinault Indian Nation lived on the Olympic Peninsula as members of individual family groups thousands of years before a small portion of their ancient lands became the Quinault Indian Reservation. They lived off the land in harmony with nature, their spirits acquiring strength from many bonds to the creatures and plants, which shared the environment. Material needs were met by the ocean, rivers, and land. The Tribe used chitem, the Western Red cedar, to make longhouses for shelter, canoes for transportation, baskets for storage, and clothing for their bodies. The rivers and beaches were highways to move from place to place in pursuit of food and commerce. Their longhouses, sheltering family groups, were built along the river banks convenient to the abundant salmon which were so important to their lives.

The land was blessed with food and the people were one of the most successful hunting and gathering societies. They harvested fish, whales, and seals from the sea; clams, mussels, and sea bird eggs from the beaches; elk, bear, and other animals from the forests and meadows; and berries, tea and roots from the prairies. Despite the ready abundance of these foods, their lives were closely tied to the salmon which returned to the rivers each year. The runs of Chinook, coho, chum, steelhead, and blueback were the basis of the culture and economy.

No formal structure of government was needed. The people relied upon tradition and loyalty and conscience for social order. Those who lived along the coast had the most contact with others who shared the same watershed drainage’s and together, they formed a loosely knit, larger body of organization that came to be regarded by other governments as a tribe.

Since resources were so plentiful, farming was not essential for survival, and land ownership as such was virtually unknown. They shared the land and its resources with one another. The land was there for all to use, but it belonged to no one. There was considerable rivalry between tribes however, and territories were to be respected. The present boundaries of the Quinault Reservation were established by executive order of President Grant in 1873.

Beginning in the late 1700 's the Quinault’s way of life began to change drastically and quickly when Spanish, English, and Russian explorers searched the Pacific Coast for furs and the mythical Northwest passage.

In 1855, the Treaty of Olympia was signed by the, Quinault, Quileute, and their bands the Hoh and Queets, they ceded nearly a third of the Olympic Peninsula to the United States in exchange for a "tract or tracts of land sufficient for their wants".

Allotments on the Quinaielt Indian Reservation in Washington began in 1905 under the General Allotment Act of 187. The first roll of 119 names was submitted in 1907, the second of 327 names in 1908, and the third of 300 names in 1910. Thus, 748 Indians were allotted on the Quinaielt reservation before the passage of the Act of March 4, 1911.

The Quinault Indian Nation was formed with the original signers of the treaty the; Quinault, Queets, Hoh, Quileute. Because of certain disagreements the, Grays Harbor, Shoalwater, Lower and Upper Chehalis, Cowlitz and Chinook, were never allowed another treaty, but were allotted land on the Quinault Reservation and had lands set aside for their well being.

During this time representatives, interpreters, certifiers, witnesses, and members of the Quinault Reservation took part in handling the affairs of the Quinault Reservation. The Superintendent of Indian Affairs in 1921 requested that the Quinault Tribe form a Council to administer the affairs of the Quinaielt Reservation. A Council was Elected: The first elected officers were nominated: President; Harry Shale, Secretary; Frank W. Law, Treasurer; William Garfield. The Constitution and by-laws were to be written.…...

Blanche S. McBride
Lelani Jones-Chubby