5/20/1792
Lt. Peter Puget explores South Puget Sound
5/24/1792
Lt. Peter Puget explores Case Inlet, camping at north end of Squaxin Island
5/25/1792
Lt. Peter Puget explores Totten Inlet
5/27/1792
Lt. Peter Puget returns to his group to report his findings, and ship heads back to England
1818
U.S. and Great Britain agree to the Joint Occupancy Treaty of the Oregon Country
1824 
First Europeans came through on way to Canada – 1st contact
1825
Hudson Bay established farm in county
1833
Fort Nisqually is built
1833
First non-Native settlement in lower Puget Sound
1834
First non-Native settlement in what is now Mason County
1841
Charles Wilkes Expedition through South Puget Sound
Dick Jackson born at Kamilche
European settlers begin to move into the Puget Sound area
John Slocum is born
1845
First white settlers in Tumwater
1846
Joint Occupancy pact comes to an end when the two countries agree to establish the dividing boundary at the 49th parallel
8/14/1848
Oregon Territory established
1848
Priest Point Mission established
1849
Brig “Orbit” put into Budd Inlet for a load of piles, thus opening lumber trade in the Sound
1850
First framed house in Olympia
Oregon Donation Land Act allowing settlers to take land (under this act, Church Pt. was taken)
1851
Fort Steilacoom established
Olympia is named
2/3/1853
Washington Territory created
12/26/1854
Medicine Creek Treaty is signed, 662 Indians present at signing
1854
Approximately 530 Native Americans moved to Squaxin Island
1855
Indian War erupts when Chief Leschi and his followers revolt over treaty issues
1857
Indian War ends
Cleared 20 acres for planting and well dug on Squaxin Island
6/1857
Houses & church built on 3 cleared acres 2 miles from school “to keep children away from family influences and pagan rituals”
Late 1850s
Tribal members begin to move from Squaxin Island and settle on the mainland
1858
Chief Leschi is secretly hanged in Olympia
1859
50 deaths due to digestive and venereal disease
Indian Agent sends annual report to the Sec. of Interior discussing his “hopes of civilizing the Indians and getting them away from their parents’ foolish superstitions and demoralized way of living
1860s
Old Chouse (grandfather of John Slocum) dies
1861
Territorial legislature provides for acquisition of exclusive rights to plant oysters
1864
Territorial legislature passed law granting exclusive rights to plant, collect and harvest oysters in most of Totten Inlet to two non-Indians, Horton & Busey
1865
Territorial legislature passed law granting exclusive rights to plant, collect and harvest oysters in Budd Inlet to two non-Indians, Winsor and Durgin
1870
Washington becomes a state
1870s
Non-Indians begin to displace Indians from their traditional oyster grounds in Budd Inlet
1873
Territorial legislature passed law granting to each person planting oysters in localities where no natural beds existed ten acres, to hold so long as the planting should be regularly maintained, Squaxin maintained traditional grounds by filing on lands in Mud Bay, Oyster Bay and elsewhere
1875 (or 85?)
BIA census begins
2/5/1878
First claims by non-Indians in Budd Inlet where Olympia now stands
8/5/1878
Olympia Oyster Company incorporated under laws of the Territory, taking the claims of all individuals for 50 years, forcing Olympia Jim and others to relocate to other inlets
1880-1889
Indian Oyster claims filed prior to statehood under Territorial law to protect traditional community holdings/ virtually all Squaxin Indians engaged in oystering
Oyster Bay
• Tyee Bob / 27-11-1880
• Dick Jackson/ 14-12-1880
• Sally (likely Sally Jackson) / 14-12-1880
• Charley (likely Charles Martin) / 14-12-1880
• Olympia Jim / 21-12-1880
• Jack Slocum / 5-0-1881
• Sandy Wohault / 25-3-1881
• Charlie Quelch / 25-3-1881
• Henry Isaac / 9-4-1889
• Olympia Jim / 3-6-1889
Mud Bay
• Sam Lewis / 13-3-1882
• Lewis Youlbo /13-3-1882
• Mud Bay Tom /6-12-1886
1881
John Slocum founds the Shaker religion, called Slocum Tum Tum or Schad-daub the Schad-daw
1881
First Shaker Church built
1889
Washington becomes the 42nd state in the union
1889
Enabling Act and State Constitution adopted both containing disclaimer clause that state will not lay claim to lands held and used by any Indian or Indian Tribe
1890
State legislature passes law providing for sale of oyster title to citizens. Title could be cancelled if tidelands used for any purpose other than the cultivation of edible shellfish
1894-95
Squaxin Island Indians file claims under laws of new state of Washington
Oyster Bay
• Jack Slocum / 16-7-1894
• Jack Slocum / 27-4-1895
• Jim Simmons / 20-8-1895
• Olympia Jim / 28-3-1899
Mud Bay
• Mud Bay Charlie / 16-5-1895
• George Leschi / 8-7-1895
Others included Little Charlie, Kate Charley and Mollie Peters
1895
State legislature passes law providing for sale of oyster title to citizens. Permitted acreage reduced. State maintained reversionary interest and could claim land if it was not used for cultivation of edible shellfish
1899
State attempts to sell tidelands on Squaxin Island to non-Indian purchasers
1903-04
U.S. District Court Judge Hanford rules that the state has no legal authority to sell Squaxin Island tidelands and that purchasers have acquired no rights thereto
1909
Attempt to remove petroglyph at Victor
1910
Census records 50 people on Squaxin Island
1911
Cecil Cheeka kidnapped and taken to boarding school
1919
Isolated Tidelands Act
1924
All natives became citizens
1924
Second Shaker Church built
1927
State law provides for state to sell its reserved right in oyster lands to owner of oyster title. Several Squaxin
Indian owners applied to purchase under this law.
Dick Jackson testifies in the case of Duwamish et al v Untied States
Bureau of Indian Affairs is formed, previously under the Dept. of War
United States government begins to assimilate Indian youth through boarding schools
1930s
Most people gone from Squaxin Island
1934
Indian Reorganization Act
1965
Sec of Interior approves the Squaxin Island Tribe’s constitution
1960s
Treaty fishing rights struggle begins to be challenged
1969
David Lopeman protests for fishing rights
1970
Petroglyph at Eld Inlet moved to State Capital Museum
1970s
Longhouse built on Squaxin Island
8/1/1971
Harstine Oyster Company is purchased
1971
Third Shaker Church built, donated by Simpson
1974
Judge Bo1dt decision upholds treaty fishing rights
1977
Harstine Oyster Company processing building constructed
12/26/81
Longhouse and fishing boat of Kenny Selvidge burned
1984
Additional land purchased for houses
1986
Arcadia Point Boat launch purchased
1989
Centennial Accord signed with state of Washington
Shellfish litigation begins
1990
1st Annual Sa’He’Wa’Mish powwow
Repatriation becomes law
South Puget Intertribal Housing Authority constructed (Now Public Safety & Justice)
4/93
State park on Squaxin Island closes
Summer 93
Stream monitoring project
6/9/93
S.I. selected for self-governance
6/9/93
Gambling Commission approves compact
7/93
Lease signed on Elma Treatment Center facility
7/18/93
1st self-governance hearing
7/27/93
Gov. Lowry signs gaming compact
8/4/93
Judge Rafeedie visits Squaxin Island and other tribes involved in shellfish case
8/93
“Shellfish are Fish” ruling
9/21/93
Dept. of Interior approves gaming compact
9/93
1st Salmon Homecoming Celebration – Seattle waterfront
10/1/93
Squaxin Island officially self-governance tribe
12/11/93
1st recall election
1/94
Court rules against limitation on shellfish species and deep water harvests
2/2/94
Doug Tobin totem pole arrives at KTP
3/94
House Bill tightens disclosure on financial information
8/2-4/94
Tribal Health Care Summit w/ Gov. Lowry
3/20/94
Rememberer plays at Seattle Childrens Theater
3/26/94
Canoes return to South Sound “Healing of the Waters”
3/5/94
Krise home on Old Olympic highway is burned, replaced with a mobile
4/18/94
Shellfish trial begins
4/29/94
Tribal leaders summit with President Clinton
6/94
NWITC begins operation
9/30/94
Pacific Northwest Treaty signed between U.S. and Canadian tribes recognizing sovereignty
11/3/94
Ron Whitener becomes 1st tribal member to take Oath of Attorney
1995
Mary Johns room named
5/95
Grange torn down/casino walls go up
6/1/95
Church Point purchased
7/95
Old KTP destroyed
8/5/95
Shellfish implementation hearing
8/22/95
New KTP opens
9/22/95
Little Creek Casino Opens
9/22/95
Longhouse at Evergreen State College opens
10/95
Geoduck fishery begins
3/96
1st per capita payments to tribal members
12/95
Canoe log found in Wynoochee forest for first tribal canoe
2/96
KTP begins selling gas
3/96
1st repatriation visit / Burke Museum
8/3/96
President Clinton approves gaming study
3/30/96
First canoe log arrives
4/4/96
Blessing of first canoe log
7/13-21/96
Full Circle Canoe Journey
10/96
New Sally Selvidge Health Clinic opens
11/96
Landscaping project at intersection of highways 101 & 108
1/23/97
Cultural Center blessed/Grand Opening (Now Elders building)
5/17/97
Tribe meets with town of Packwood over hunting
5/97
Cultural Center dedication (now Elders building)
1998
Shellfish Decision U.S. v WA
1998-09-25 Shellfish decision.pdf5/98
KTP Totem pole is raised
10/1999
Museum Library and Research Center groundbreaking
12/13/1999
U.S. v WA Access rights determination for shellfish harvesting
1999-12-13 Order Clarifying Upland Access.tif7/2000
Water and sewer built for Slocum Ridge Housing Phase One
June 2001
Slocum Ridge Phase One homes started
6/2002
Museum Library and Research Center (MLRC) construction completed
11/2002
MLRC doors open to the public
7/2003
The Third Tribal Center construction started
3/2004
Hood Canal Communications wires Squaxin Island Reservation for broadband
5/2004
Third Tribal Center occupied
8/2004
Child Development Center – first tribal daycare to receive state certification – opens
10/25/2004
First Veterans Memorial meeting
4/2005
New roof and gas fireplace installed in Elders Center
9/2005
Mason County Fire District 3 occupies new fire station (2/3 ICDBG, 1/3 Squaxin funds)
2/20/2006
Dedicated Veterans Memorial tribal flag
4/2006
Groundbreaking for Salish Cliffs Golf Club
6/2006
Construction begins on the par-72, 7,300-yard championship golf course
Summer/2006
Mason County replaces Skookum Creek bridge with tribal assistance
10/2006
Construction on Salish Cliffs halted for land clearing
12/2006
Wooden medallions carved for Veterans Memorial at Andrea Sigos with Susan Point, funded through TESC; bronze medallions made by Urban Assessories
2/8/2007
First reclaimed water pumped to 225 million gallon irrigation pond
11/2007
Squaxin Island tribal flag flies for first time/Flag raising ceremony
4/2009
Construction on Salish Cliffs starts up again
12/29/2009
Veterans and tribal (Squaxin Island Honor Guard) Eagle staff ceremony
4/2008
Petroglyph moved from Tumwater Falls to Veterans Memorial
7/1/2008
Veterans Memorial dedication ceremony
10/2009
Construction on Salish Cliffs paused for winter months
3/2010
Construction of Salish Cliffs begins again
8/2011
Salish Cliffs open for business