Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Puyallup Tribe Land Claims Settlement Records
Date(s)
Extent
22 boxes and 3 oversized items
(21.3 cubic feet)
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
Includes drafts, revisions, and finalized settlement documents, reports, minutes, press conference recordings, and other material related to the 1990 Land Claims Settlement reached between the Puyallup Tribe, the state of Washington, the city of Tacoma, Pierce County, private entities, and the federal government. Also included are extensive research files related to impacted lands and waterways, fishing rights, the history of the Puyallup Tribe, and other similar legal settlements.
System of arrangement
The original order of the records as received by Tacoma Public Library has been maintained. Where available, the titles of files have also been maintained. Materials are organized according to the department from which they originated with the exception of the audiovisual material and research files.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Languages of the material
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
According to correspondence addressed to former Library Director Kevin Hegarty, the Tacoma Public Library offered to provide long term public access to documents related to the Land Claims Settlement. In February of 1990, John W. Ladenburg of the Pierce County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney wrote a letter on behalf of the Puyallup Indian Settlement Strategy Committee accepting the offer for TPL to "be the official archives of materials, documents and papers regarding the settlement." It was indicated that members of the Puyallup Tribe had asked for the Library to meet with them to discuss this arrangement.
The Strategy Committee agreed to "notify all parties, public and private, of this agreement and will encourage them to use your services to assure a complete record in one place." Because no transfer agreements or transmittal paperwork was generated and/or retained, it is unknown which involved parties transferred documents. Information on the originating department or entity was gathered from the documents themselves except for material that came directly from the office of attorney Jim Waldo.
In December 1992, Waldo wrote to Library Director Hegarty to confirm the transfer of 6 boxes for immediate public access. These boxes were clearly marked at the time of processing in 2022 and have been maintained in their original order. Additional boxes were to come from Waldo in 1993 and 1994 that were to be restricted for a period of 15 years.
In 2021, these boxes were located among collections of the Northwest Room at Tacoma Public Library. Northwest Room staff met with members of the Puyallup Tribe's Historic Preservation Department and Legal Counsel in 2022. During that meeting, the decision was made to proceed with re-housing, arrangement, and description according to archival best practices. This work was carried out in the summer of 2022 and a file level listing was shared with members of the Puyallup Tribe's Historic Preservation Department and Legal Counsel. After consulting the description, the Puyallup Tribe Historic Preservation Department communicated with Northwest Room staff to give their permission for these records to be made publicly available. Additional information is available in the control file.