Overview of the Collection
Historical NoteIn May and June 1855, a treaty among representatives of the Nez Perce, Yakima, Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla tribes and the United States government was negotiated on the present day site of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Isaac Ingalls Stevens, Washington Territorial Governer, and Joel Palmer, Oregon Superintendent of Indian Affairs, represented the interests of the United States government. Native American participants included Lawyer, Timothy, and Joseph (Nez Perce), Kamiakin (Yakima), Peopeomoxmox (Walla Walla), Spokan Garry (Spokane), and Young Chief (Cayuse). The treaty concluded with the establishment of reservations for the Nez Perce, Yakima, and Confederated Tribes (Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla) and was ratified in 1859. The impetus for a public observation of the Stevens Treaty centennial came from Corbett B. Lawyer in 1954. Lawyer solicited the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce to "celebrate" the treaty signing with the Nez Perce Indians of Lapwai, Idaho. Tribal representatives and the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce jointly planed the commemoration under the leadership of Charles F. Luce, a Walla Walla attorney. The Stevens Treaty Centennial Observance ran June 10, 11, and 12 in Walla Walla. The program included a welcome parade, the dedication of a marker commemorating the centennial observance, a barbecue, the "Sacajawea of 1955" contest, a pageant entitled "PE-WA-OO-YIT - First Treaty Council," and a commemorative non-denominational religious service. Content DescriptionThe collection contains not only the program for the weekend long event, but also a collection of the speeches delivered during the commemoration. Speakers included a representative of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Nez Perce, Yakima, and Confederated Tribes representatives. A draft and final copy of Bill Gulick's pageant script and a transcript of a witness's narrative of the 1855 Walla Walla Council are also housed in this collection. The Correspondence file consists primarily of invitations to and responses from dignitaries invited to attend the event. Correspondence and memos from event planners may be found in the Miscellaneous, Luce Memorandum, and Supporters and Tribal Organizations files. Newspaper clippings about the event and the publicity file provide information about the dissemination of information about the event and its reception. A file on the "Sacajawea of 1955" contest rounds out the collection. Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
Collection is open for research. Restrictions on Use :Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. Copyright not transferred to Whitman College. Preferred Citation :Stevens Treaty Council of 1855 Centennial Collection, Whitman College and Northwest Archives. Administrative InformationDetailed Description of the Collection
Subjects
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