In this photograph believed to be from the mid 1880s, a group of Puyallup Indians gathers on the shore of the Puget Sound to gamble. The game they are playing appears to be the bone game, where two teams of 10-12 sit opposite each other. One team has four bones which they pass to the distracting accompaniment of the pounding of sticks and singing of chants. The other team must guess who has the bones. In the background are longboats and a bridge. The Puyallup village during this time period was believed to be at the foot of South 15th St. KING-003, TPL 2897.
A group of Puyallup Indians with their longboats (canoes) on the Puget Sound around 1886. Behind them can be seen the Northern Pacific Railroad bridge. The Puyallups were primarily fishermen, hunters and gatherers. The local salmon provided their primary food source, but was also a symbol of reverence to the tribe. In the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854, they ceded many of their territories but retained their fishing rights. Their village at this time was believed to be at the foot of North 15th. KING-014, TPL 2895.
In this circa 1886 photograph, a Native American family lounges in their long boat near the shore. In the background can be seen the Northern Pacific Railroad bridge. The canoe is loaded with supplies, probably returning or setting off for the family's hunting ground. The Puyallup tribe members were primarily hunters, gatherers and fishermen. During this time period, their village was believed to be located at the foot of North 15th. KING-015, TPL 2894.
Back of Photo: Yesteryear Feb. 7, 1986 Puyallup Indian Tribe members gathered on Feb. 9, 1891, as part of their monthly neighborhood meetings. This was the time when Indian families gathered to discuss the business of running the reservation and making improvements in the quality of life. The women were not generally included in business affairs of the tribe, which would explain their absence in the photograph. State of Washington Views Rutter, Photo Tacoma, Wash.
Back of Photo: Theatrical Group, Order of Vasa, ca. 1912, Tacoma Photograph courtesy of the Vasa Lodge Norden, Tacoma
From In the Footsteps of Nicholas Delin: the Swedish Presence in Pierce County, a photography exhibition tracing the world of Swedish and Swedish-Finnish immigrants in Pierce County from 1887 - 1930, opening Thursday, December 14, 1995 at the Tacoma Public Library's Handforth Gallery (Main Library, 1102 Tacoma Avenue South in downtown Tacoma).
Members of the Yamamoto family posed in front of their residence on June 7, 1931. Gentleman with the glasses and is Mr. Kichigiro "Kay" Yamamoto and to his right his wife, Masae. Children from left to right: Margaret, Edit, Katherine, George and Ray. Source: Sullivan, Michael "Legacy, part 3" Tacoma History Live Blog, July 31, 2019.
Several members of the Yamamoto family posed for a group portrait on June 7, 1931 on the front steps of Mr. Kichigiro "Kay" Yamamoto's house at 3220 54th Ave E in Fife. Mr. Yamamoto in the light colored suit wearing spectacles right behind what appear to be a bride and groom. His wife, Masae, in the second row far left. Their children in the front row from left to right: Ray, Katherine, Margaret, George and Edith. Source: Sullivan, Michael "Legacy, part 3" Tacoma History Live Blog, July 31, 2019.
Two Nisqually tribal members prepare nets in lower Nisqually River in defiance of state regulations. Nisqually tribal members planned to exercise their right to fish under the Medicine Creek Treaty following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision which allowed states to regulate off-reservation Native fishing.
A Native American girl was arrested along with forty other indigenous people during a second confrontation with police following a fire on a railroad bridge near a Puyallup Tribal fishing camp. The fire started after police and state officers raided the fishing camp earlier that morning, arresting twenty people. Police later returned to the camp with fire units and arrested everyone at the fishing camp. The camp was established by Puyallup tribal members to advocate for fishing rights and indigenous people from across the United States joined their protest. Picture taken by Tribune staff member Wayne Zimmerman.
Puyallup Tribal member Mike Turnipseed fished near the Burlington Northern Railroad bridge in defiance of a court order and warnings of arrest by Game and Fisheries department officers. Superior Court Judge Charles T. Wright modified a temporary restraining order preventing Game and Fisheries department officers from making arrests or seizing gill nets. Wright’s actions limited fishing to Frank’s Landing on the Nisqually and only allowed two Native Americans to fish there: Suzette Bridges Mills and William Frank Jr.
Confrontation between Puyallup tribal members and police about fishing rights guaranteed in the Medicine Creek Treaty (1854) resulted in a riot police unit being brought in to disperse the fishing camp. Shots were fired and tear gas was used. Two officers stand behind a truck as people look on in the background, including a person filming using a movie camera. Photo taken by Tribune staff member Warren Anderson.
Confrontation between Puyallup tribal members and police about fishing rights guaranteed in the Medicine Creek Treaty (1854) resulted in a riot police unit being brought in to disperse the fishing camp. Shots were fired and tear gas was used. Photo taken by Tribune staff member Warren Anderson.
Back of Photo: Indians, Puyallup Photo by Bob Rudsit
Police and state revenue agents seized cartons of unstamped cigarettes and other Tabacco products allegedly headed for the Satiacum Smoke Shop. The raid was based on a state law prohibiting unlicensed distributors from handling unstamped cigarettes. Puyallup Tribal member Robert Satiacum was not a licensed dealer according to Robert Munzinger, who served as assistant director of field operations for the Revenue Department. Photo by Tribune staff member Bob Rudsit.
Police and state revenue agents seized cartons of unstamped cigarettes and other Tabacco products allegedly headed for the Satiacum Smoke Shop. The raid was based on a state law prohibiting unlicensed distributors from handling unstamped cigarettes. Puyallup Tribal member Robert Satiacum is not a licensed dealer according to Robert Munzinger, who serves as assistant director of field operations for the Revenue Department. Photo by Tribune staff member Bob Rudsit. A person walks to a smoke shop that has "Drive in Window Service" written on the front.
Catherine Frank, left, stands beside husband James V. Mills. Frank is a Nisqually tribal member and Mills is a Yakima tribal member. Also pictured: mother, blanket keeper, left, and food basket keeper at right.
Sid Mills and an unidentified tribal member fishing on the Nisqually River despite laws preventing fishing. Both tribal members were arrested after they dropped a net and sped upstream.
Back of Photo: Indians, Nisqually Photograph by Jerry Buck
