Tribes of Idaho

Bannock ~ primarily located in southeastern Idaho and western Wyoming
Coeur d'Alene ~ also known as the Skitswish, primarily associated with northern Idaho
Flathead ~ primarily located in Montana, see Salish
Kalispel ~ primarily located in northern Idaho, although they hunted in Montana, Washington, and Canada
Kutenai ~ primarily located in Montana and northern Idaho
Nez Perce ~ primarily located in central Idaho, but historically were also associated with southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Nez Perce Chiefs and Leaders includes Mark Arthur, Chief Joseph, Chief Looking Glass, Smohalla, and Lawyer
Northwestern Band of Shoshoni ~ primarily located in northern Utah, near the Idaho border. Also known as the Washakie Band of Shoshoni
Numa ~ another name for the Northern Paiute
Paiute ~ primarily located in Nevada, California, and Utah, although they ranged into southwestern Idaho at times. Paiute Chiefs and Leaders includes Chief Winnemucca, Sarah Winnemucca, and Wovoka
Paloos or Palouse ~ primarily located in Washington, although they did extend up the Palouse River into Idaho
The Palus (pronounced /pe'lu:s/) are recognized in the Treaty of 1855 with the Yakamas (negotiated at the Walla Walla Council (1855)). A variant spelling is Palouse, which was the source of the name for the fertile prairie of Washington and Idaho.
The Palus tribe is one of twelve aboriginal tribes enrolled in the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. A variant spelling is Palouse which was the source of the name for the fertile prairie of Washington and Idaho.
The people are one of the Sahaptin speaking groups of Native Americans living on the Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and North Central Idaho.
The people were expert horsemen and the term Appaloosa is probably a derivation of the term Palouse horse. Hundreds of tribal horses were slaughtered to cripple the tribe during the Indian Wars in the mid to late nineteenth century.
Pend d'Oreille ~ Pend d'Oreilles also known as the Kalispel, are a tribe of Native Americans who lived around Lake Pend Oreille, as well as the Pend Oreille River, and Priest Lake although some of them live spread throughout Montana and eastern Washington. The primary tribal range from roughly Plains, Montana, westward along the Clark Fork River, Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, and the Pend d'Oreille River in Eastern Washington and into British Columbia was given the name Kaniksu by the Kalispel peoples. The Kalispel are one of the three tribes of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation.
The name Pend Oreille is of French origin, meaning "hangs from ears", which refers to the large shell earrings that these people wore. The main part of the reservation on which these Native Americans live is northwest of Newport, Washington, in central Pend Oreille County.
Salish (Flathead) ~ In the early 1840's one of their leaders had a "vision" of the "Blackrobes" who would come with spiritual teaching
Shahaptian ~ Indian tribes of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington state
Sheepeater ~ the name of one of the subdivisions of the Western Shoshoni
Shoshone or Shoshoni (Northern and Western) -- the Northern Shoshoni were primarily located in eastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and northeastern Utah. The Western Shoshoni have been historically associated with central and western Idaho, northwestern Utah, central and northeastern Nevada, and a small part of California. Shoshone Chiefs and Leaders includes Sacagawea
Skitswish ~ another name for the Coeur d'Alene
Snake ~ another name for the Northern Shoshoni
The country inhabited by them is of such vast extent, and has been so imperfectly explored, that material for accurate classification of the Snake tribes is entirely wanting. Very interesting descriptions and anecdotes of these Indians are to be found in Colonel Fremont s notes of travel and explorations; in Mr. Schoolcraft's valuable compend of Indian historical and statistical information; and in the entertaining adventures of Captain Bonneville
The whole region tenanted by the roving tribes who are included under the general title of Snakes, is thus laid down in Schoolcraft s above-mentioned publication: exclusive of those residing upon the Snake river, "they embrace all the territory of the Great South Pass, between the Mississippi valley and the waters of the Columbia, by which the land or caravan communication with Oregon and California is now, or is destined hereafter, to be maintained.
The Snake River is named for the Snake Indians, through whose country the greater part of the river flows. The Indians, in turn, were named "Snake" by their Plains neighbors to the east, possibly because they reputedly used snake heads painted on sticks to terrify their Plains enemies.
Spokan ~ primarily located in Washington, they extended a few miles into northern Idaho
Spokane - A name applied to several small bodies of Salish on and near Spokane River, north east Washington. According to Gibbs the name was originally employed by the Skitswish to designate a band at the forks of the river, called also Smahoomenaish.
The Upper Spokan came under the influence of the Jesuit Fathers De Smet, Point, and their successors, about 1841, whith the result that that portion of the tribe is Catholic. Throughout the Yakimá war of 1856-8 the Spokan remained quiet, chiefly through the effort of the Catholic missionaries. In 1872 those of Washington, constituting the larger body, were gathered with other cognate tribes upon the Colville reservation, North-eastern Washington, where they now reside.
Those in Idaho are associated with the Coeur d'Aléne and are all Catholic. At Colville the Lower band is Protestant, while the Upper band, somewhat smaller in numbers, is Catholic. From perhaps 1200 souls a century ago they have declined (1911) to 600, of whom 96 are on the Coeur d'Aléne reservation. The religious centre for those of Colville is the mission of St. Francis Regis, at Ward, Washington, under Jesuit management. The centre for Coeur d'Aléne is the Jesuit mission of the Sacred Heart, at De Smet, Idaho. In language, primitive custom, and characteristics the Spokan are virtually identical with the Coeur d'Aléne and Kalispel Indians.
Tukuarika (Sheepeater) ~ the name of one of the subdivisions of the Western Shoshoni

Duck Valley Reservation

Shoshone and Paiute Tribes

The Duck Valley Indian Reservation was established as a homeland for members of both the Shoshone and Paiute tribes of Native Americans. It lies on the state line between Idaho and Nevada in the western United States. The reservation, which is in the shape of a square, is almost evenly divided in land area between the two states, with the northern 50.2 percent lying in southern Owyhee County, Idaho and the southern 49.8 percent lying in northwestern Elko County, Nevada. The total land area is 1,166.508 km² (450.391 sq mi) and a resident population of 1,265 persons was reported in the 2000 census, over 80 percent of whom lived on the Nevada side. Its only significant community is Owyhee, Nevada.

Time Line History

Definitions: Newe people = western Shoshone; Numa people = Paiutes

1820s First contact with the whiteman, who crossed the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin as they headed for the west coast.
1848 Gold discovered in California, which increased white traffic. Era of treaty making with the Shoshone, Paiutes, Bannocks, Utes, and Goshutes to protect the route the white travelers used to enter and exit California.
1855 August 7, 1855--First treaty with the western Shoshone. However, it was not ratified by Congress and as a result the U.S. Government never recognized it, although the Shoshone accepted and continued to hold to the treaty.
1860s Silver mines opened in Nevada, which brought more white people into Newe and Numa country, pushing the Indians into canyons and mountains.
Start of Civil War. Gold and silver mines became more important to the northern government, which resulted in increased protection by the soldiers of the route to the west through Newe and Numa lands. The army built forts at different locations--Fort Halleck (on the Humboldt River near Starr Valley, Nevada), Fort Ruby (in Ruby Valley, Nevada), and Fort McDermitt (on present Nevada-Oregon border).
1863 July 30, 1863 -- The northwestern Shoshones signed the Box Elder Treaty. The Treaty of Ruby Valley was signed with the western Shoshone. The treaty was known as the Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
1865 A treaty with three Bannock bands and one western Shoshone band was signed. These Indian bands occupied the Bruneau Valley and the Boise Valley area.
1866 The treaty of 1866 contained questionable terms which had to be renegotiated concerning the Indians' land cession. Governors changed before the matter was finalized. The new governor wanted one agency for the Indians in southern Idaho, rather than several which were under consideration. The three Bannock bands (the Boise, Bruneau, and Camas Bannocks) accepted the move to the Shoshone-Bannock reservation at Fort Hall.
1877 Two reservations were set aside for the western Shoshones (34 bands). One was the Carlin Farms comprised of 51.61 acres which was created by an Executive Order. The whites claimed that they had occupied the land before the Executive Order was signed, and on January 16, 1879 the Carlin Farms Reservation was rescinded. Establishment of Duck Valley Reservation, which was partly in Nevada and partly in Idaho (20 miles long and 17 miles wide).
1881 First school erected (had 25 students). During this time the Duck Valley Reservation was enlarged to 400 square miles, or 256,000 acres.
1887 General Allotment Act of 1887 alloted land to Indians, but it was designed to end tribal life by opening the remainder of reservation lands which were not alloted to non-Indians.
1900 A census survey of the Duck Valley Reservation showed a population of 224 Shoshones and 226 Paiutes with a population of 450.
1904 September 10, 1904 -- First telephone line was constructed, and connected the Agency with Elko, Nevada, which was one hundred miles away.
1936 Wildhorse Reservoir was built between 1936 and 1937, which dam helped solve the problem of a dwindling water supply from the Owyhee River on the reservation.
1967 In 1967 to 1969, a new dam was built at the same site as the old one.

*Taken from Idaho Indians Tribal Histories, Idaho Centennial Commission and the Idaho Museum of Natural History, 1992; and from A History of the Shoshone-Paiutes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, by Whitney McKinney, the Institute of the American West and Howe Brothers, 1983.

Flathead Reservation

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are comprised of the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d’Oreille and the Kootenai tribes. The Flathead Reservation of 1.317 million acres in northwest Montana is our home now but our ancestors lived in the territory now known as western Montana, parts of Idaho, British Columbia and Wyoming. This aboriginal territory exceeded 20 million acres at the time of the 1855 Hellgate Treaty.

Fort Hall Reservation

The Fort Hall Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation of the Shoshone and Bannock people in Idaho. It is located in southeastern Idaho on the Snake River Plain north of Pocatello, and comprises 814.874 square miles of land area in four counties: Bingham, Power, Bannock, and Caribou counties. Founded in 1863, it is named for Fort Hall, a trading post that was an important stop along the Oregon Trail and California Trail in the middle 19th century. The ruins of the fort are located on the reservation. The community of Fort Hall, along Interstate 15, is the largest population center on the reservation.

Probably one-third of the Indians on this reservation are mixed bloods between Bannocks and Shoshones, and in classifying them the question as to their parents' blood is settled by noting with which band they associate, they wear plenty of beads, brass trinkets; feathers, and gaudy blankets, and positively refuse to work, they are put down as Bannocks; but if, on the other hand, they take kindly to labor and try to dress and live like the white people they go on the records as Shoshones. On this reservation the latter out number the former almost 2 to 1.

This reservation was established 21 years ago. Two years later it was assigned to the charge of the Catholics. During the year following the, arrival of the Catholics the agency was visited quite often by a French Catholic priest, who christened a, great many of the young children and tried to teach the older ones religion and its duties, all of which has long since been forgotten. Since that time there have been occasional sermons preached and interpreted to them by ministers of the several creeds, but they do not take to the white mans doctrine very readily.

The Fort Hall reservation embraces 804,270(b) acres of land: one-tenth is wild hay land, two-tenths rocky, mountainous land, upon which grows considerable scrubby pine as well as cedar, The land designated farming land requires irrigation, and nothing can grow without it except wild hay on the low bottom lands along Snake river.

As the land is close to an extensive mining region, crops of all kinds bring a better price than they do in the middle or eastern states.

Gold dust is known to exist in paying quantities on the southwest portion of the reservation along the banks of Snake River. It is known as Snake River "flue dust". Much of time mining ground close to the, reservation has been worked with rockers, using copper plates and quicksilver, the millers making from $2 to $10 per day.

This is a good stock country, and cattle killed for the Indians from the range are nearly as fat as stall fed cattle. The greatest revenue of these Indians is from the sale of hay. They, have this season, with their own: teams and machines, put up at least 2,500 tons, which is being sold to stock men at $5 per ton in the stack. Indians wile raise stock sometimes reserve a little hay for their own use, but usually sell it all and then take the chances for their own .stock, The result last Winter was that they lost at least 20 per cent of their ponies and cattle.*

*Idaho Indians in the 1890 Census