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45-557: The name "Wishkah" is an adaptation of the Chehalis word hwish-kahl , meaning "stinking water". While living under a bridge on the river after dropping out of high school and being kicked out of the family home, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain wrote the song " Something in the Way " about the experience. According to biographer Charles R. Cross , however, this was largely a myth created by Cobain. One third of Cobain's ashes were scattered in

90-534: A female householder with no husband present, and 44.3% were non-families. 34.8% of households were one person and 14.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.79. The age distribution was 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males. The median household income

135-591: A population roughly between 25 and 300 people (although larger settlements were reported). Each house had several households, led by a head of household, typically a married man or a group of brothers or cousins. Other members of the household included the wife, unmarried children, married sons and their wives, poor relatives, slaves, and visitors. Houses were owned by those who contributed labor or resources to building, with each leading man owning his and his family's section. The head of house would also direct family operations, such as weir construction, in which one section of

180-401: A rescue, nor would it be likely for slaves to have familial ties to people in the localiy. The largest political unit in this era was the village. The "tribes" as described in early literature were groups of people who had shared linguistic and geographic ties, but there was no formal organization at this level. Villages held several houses, typically consisting of one to ten houses, supporting

225-520: A river in the state of Washington is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lower Chehalis people The Lower Chehalis ( / ʃ ʌ ˈ h eɪ l ɪ s / shuh- HAY -lis ) are a Southwestern Coast Salish people Indigenous to Washington state . Today, the Lower Chehalis do not maintain a distinct sovereign identity, although people of Lower Chehalis descent are enrolled in several federally recognized tribes, such as

270-529: A very early age, typically seven or eight, and a quest was taken around adolescence. People could also acquire spirits later in life as well. People with powerful powers, usually called shamans, were tasked with diagnosing and curing illnesses, usually those of the spirit, although diseases of "natural" causes were also identified. These shamans were highly respected and were paid well for their services, but they were also feared, as they could use their power for death as well. The Lower Chehalis traditionally spoke

315-405: A weir was owned by the family. Upon their death, the "ownership" of a house would pass on to the eldest son or other kin. Households might tear down their house and rebuild nearby together, or constituent households might build separate private homes elsewhere. Today, Lower Chehalis descendants are enrolled in several federally-recognized tribes : The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is composed of

360-617: Is also the home to a station for the US Coast Guard. In 2016, the Ocosta School District became the first in North America to build a publicly funded vertical tsunami shelter, located at Ocosta Elementary School . Measuring 53 feet (16.2 m), the structure is joined with the school, can hold 1,000 people, and is built to withstand a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. The $ 13.8 million project

405-492: Is land and 0.80 square miles (2.07 km ) is water. A weather station in Grayland , a community just south of Westport, has recorded conditions in the area going back to 1948. The area is generally mild and wet, with November through January having especially high levels of rainfall (averaging over 10 inches or 250 millimetres for each of those months) and little or no snow. (See Grayland, Washington for climate data.) At

450-558: Is located on a peninsula on the south side of the entrance to Grays Harbor from the Pacific Ocean . The public Westport Marina is the largest marina on the outer coast of the United States's Pacific Northwest . The marina is home to a large commercial fishing fleet and several recreational charter fishing vessels. A summer-only passenger ferry, discontinued in 2008, previously connected the town to Ocean Shores , across

495-470: The 2010 census there were 2,099 people, 999 households, and 527 families living in the city. The population density was 567.3 inhabitants per square mile (219.0/km ). There were 1,561 housing units at an average density of 421.9 per square mile (162.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 87.0% White, 0.9% African American, 2.9% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 4.5% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3%. Of

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540-610: The Indian Claims Commission decided on their claims. The traditional culture of the Lower Chehalis was widely influenced by their maritime environment, and was closely related to their neighbors, with local variation. Fish was the staple of a traditional diet, and several types of salmon are available in the Lower Chehalis region, including chinook , chum , and coho , which run on the Chehalis and its tributaries. Lower Chehalis also historically travelled south to

585-480: The Kwalhioqua living on the bay as well, whose territory was then filled by Sahaptin -speaking groups. Around the early 19th century, the leader of the main Chehalis village at Westport was a "very old man" named Kakowan. He was succeeded by his son, Tuleuk, in the mid-19th century. After the 1846 Oregon Treaty and the 1850 Donation Land Claim Act , American settlers began to displace Indigenous peoples in

630-758: The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe , Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation , and the Quinault Indian Nation . `The Lower Chehalis are a Southwestern Coast Salish people, a group of four related peoples who speak closely related languages. The other three Southwestern Coast Salish include the Quinault people , Upper Chehalis people , and the Cowlitz people . The Lower Chehalis are more closely related to

675-427: The potlatch . Leadership usually passed down through the eldest son or other male relatives. If there were multiple candidates, they were selected by other members of the village, although leaders tended to come from certain families. The primary role of the village leader was to advise matters in the village and resolve disputes, but had no power of punishment. The Lower Chehalis likely had a position of "speaker" as did

720-489: The 1980s. The Quinault Indian Nation is a tribe composed primarily of Quinault, Quileute , Chinook, and Hoh peoples, with Lower Chehalis descendants being a minority population. The tribe had an enrolled population of 2,036 in the 1980s. Westport, Washington Westport is a city in Grays Harbor County , Washington , United States. It had a population of 2,213 at the 2020 census . Westport

765-424: The 999 households 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.2% were non-families. 38.2% of households were one person and 16.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.72. The median age

810-526: The Columbia River to partake in the large summer chinook runs. Plants were also used by the Lower Chehalis, including nuts, berries, roots, and camas , but were less important to their diet than their inland neighbors. The Lower Chehalis often traded harvested camas to the inland tribes for whom it was a major resource. Other resources the Lower Chehalis traded to their inland neighbors include clams, sturgeon, and seal oil. Historically, water travel

855-594: The Lower Chehalis and several other groups, including the Chinook, Quinault, Queets, Satsop, Upper Chehalis, and Cowlitz, to treat with the United States and cede their lands. Stevens' policy was to concentrate as many Indians on as few reservations as possible, and a sole reservation was proposed between the Makah and Grays Harbor. Stevens ignored pleadings that two reservations be established. The Lower Chehalis (along with other groups) refused to leave their homes and live with

900-556: The Lower Chehalis language, a Tsamosan language. The Tsamosan languages are a division of the Salishan language family. Lower Chehalis is closely related to the Quinault language . During the 19th century, Lower Chehalis society was divided into two classes : slave and free. The free class may have had distinctions between nobles and commoners like other Coast Salish groups, but it is unknown. Villages were led by wealthy men who were able to distribute their wealth to others by means of

945-539: The Lower Chehalis made up a significant portion of the peoples on the Quinault Reservation . Besides the 61 Hoh , 85 Queets, and 107 Quinaults , the Lower Chehalis population included 36 Ayhut, 5 Chehalis, 16 Humptulips, 16 Hoquiam, 16 Wynoochee, and 69 Shoalwater Bay Chehalis, for a total of 158 Lower Chehalis. There were also 12 Satsop at the time, as well as 3 people of mixed race. The Lower Chehalis were not compsensated for their lands until 1960, when

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990-489: The Lower Chehalis. A contemporary leader of the Chehalis, Kaukauan, recalled that they were given weapons and tools by Gray. The earliest recorded mention of the Lower Chehalis is later that year, when fur trader John Boit mentioned that he saw people at the Columbia River who he had previously seen at Grays Harbor. Around the beginning of the 19th century, there were an estimated 1,500-2,000 Lower Chehalis. After

1035-619: The Quinault than they are to the Upper Chehalis. Historically, the Lower Chehalis were not united. Instead, several villages which spoke a common language and resided in a common geographical area were grouped together. Early American treatymakers saw these groupings as "tribes" or "bands", but anthropologist Barbara Lane stated that "tribes" as seen in early literature were "fictive political units that had no basis in native society". The highest level of official political organization

1080-402: The Quinault, a person chosen to announce the chief's intentions to other members of the village. Slaves were prisoners of war or bought from other groups. Freed slaves usually carried a social stigma from their enslavement. Slaves could marry free individuals; however, it was discouraged. Slaves were most ideally taken from distant groups, so that their people would be less likely to attempt

1125-539: The Quinault, and Stevens cancelled the treaty process. Although the Quinault were later given their own treaty, the Lower Chehalis were never given another chance for a treaty. Despite this, the government would succeed in obtaining the title to Chehalis land without compensation. In 1857, Indian agent J.W. Nesmith recommended a treaty be concluded with the Upper and Lower Chehalises and the Cowlitz, so that their claims to

1170-475: The United States. Those that moved to the reservation were subjected to the "civilizing" process: forced to adopt Christianity , stop speaking their language, and adopt the White way of living. Goods were distributed to reservation agents by the federal government; however, they were often sold by the agents or misused. Some who did not move to reservations joined non-Indian communities and assimilated. In 1887,

1215-481: The city was 92.75% White, 0.33% African American, 3.09% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population. 21.7% were of German , 10.9% English , 9.6% Irish , 7.6% Norwegian , 5.3% American and 5.1% Swedish ancestry. Of the 983 households 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 8.7% had

1260-563: The creation of Fort Vancouver, the Lower Chehalis became involved in a trade network spanning between the Southwestern Coast Salish and Southern Coast Salish on Puget Sound . The Lower Chehalis were so important in the trade networks of the time that Hudson's Bay Company ships anchored in the bay often had rooms in them reserved for important Lower Chehalis visitors. In 1824, the Lower Chehalis feared an attack from fur traders. In an effort to assuade tensions and regain

1305-502: The descendants of the Shoalwater Bay Indians, those who came from the merger of the Lower Chehalis, Lower Chinook, and Kwalhioqua peoples after the 1830s smallpox epidemic. In 1985, the tribe had 123 tribal citizens. The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation is a tribe composed primarily of people of Chehalis descent (Upper and Lower), as well as others such as Quinault. The tribe had 425 enrolled members in

1350-582: The future, Westport also received a $ 2.0 million grant to complete a communications network that would continue to operate during a catastrophic event. Westport is the westernmost "Westport" in the world, the nearest competitor being in California , less than a degree east. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.50 square miles (11.65 km ), of which, 3.70 square miles (9.58 km )

1395-487: The intertribal potlatch and the local potlatch, to which only local people were invited. The Lower Chehalis might have also participated in the secret societies of the Makah and Quileute through intermarriage. The traditional religious life revolved around one's personal relationship to guardian spirits , also called powers or spirit powers. Spirits were owned by men, women, and slaves. Training to acquire powers started at

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1440-590: The land could be extinguished. In 1858, agents reported that the Lower Chehalis were facilitating a liquor trade across the coast of Washington state. An unofficial reservation where the Cowlitz and Upper Chehalis had begun living was made official on July 8, 1864, by executive order , and the Lower Chehalis were directed to remove to it; however, most did not, preferring to stay in their homes. The Humptulips and Shoalwater Bay Indians outright refused to take any goods distributed to them by White authorities in fear that by taking them, they would be ceding their land to

1485-579: The lower Chehalis River from its mouth to the Wynoochee River. The Chehalis proper occupied the southern shore of Grays Harbor, at the mouth of the Chehalis River. Their main village was at what is now Westport . In total, contemporary reports indicated that there were five villages on the river itself, as well as seven on the north side of the bay, and eight on the south side of the bay. In 1972, Robert Gray visited Grays Harbor and

1530-602: The mouth of the harbor to the north. It is home to the Washington Tuna Classic, which happens each August. Westport was officially incorporated on June 26, 1914. Names for the area in the past include Peterson's Point , Chehalis City , and Fort Chehalis . The latter name is for a U.S. Army fort established in 1860 before the town was founded, "ts-a-lis" is the Lower Chehalis word for Westport, meaning "place of sand". Early explorers pronounced

1575-455: The name for the principal village of the Chehalis proper, located at what is now Westport . The name c̓x̣íl̕əš literally means "sand". "Chehalis" has also been spelled Tsihalis, Tsihailish, and Chikailish. Chehalis is also what the Sts'ailes of British Columbia were formerly called. During the first half of the 19th century CE, the Lower Chehalis occupied the area around Willapa Bay and

1620-411: The region. By this time, the Lower Chehalis population had dropped to around 400. Around 1854, ethnographer George Gibbs estimated that there were around 100 Lower Chehalises on Grays Harbor and the lower Chehalis River. In 1855, he reported that the population was 217. In order to extinguish Indian title , territorial governor Isaac Stevens began a treaty process in the spring of 1855. Stevens called

1665-554: The river after his death. From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah is a live album released by Nirvana on October 1, 1996, two and a half years after Cobain's death. 46°59′14.5″N 123°48′40″W  /  46.987361°N 123.81111°W  / 46.987361; -123.81111 This Grays Harbor County, Washington state location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to

1710-492: The river in a row, and held between two and four families on average. On the inside, the floor was excavated about a foot deep, or perhaps deeper, and walls were lined with mats. Along the walls ran a 4' long by 4' high sleeping platform and a shorter bench below it for sitting. Empty space below the platforms was reserved for storage. The Lower Chehalis likely historically participated in the potlatch system as did their neighbors. Traditionally, two types of potlatches were held:

1755-582: The trust of the Chehalises, the HBC trader John Work distributed tobacco to members of the tribe. In the 1830s, a malaria epidemic devastated the lower Columbia Valley, shifting the organization and composition of local peoples. The Lower Chehalis and Lower Chinook inhabiting Willapa Bay merged, becoming a bilingual population (today the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe ), with Lower Chehalis eventually replacing Chinook . This group in turn would evenutally absorb

1800-534: The word "Chehalis" and gave this name to the river and the people living up river who later became the Chehalis people or "People of the Sands". The area was used regularly during the summer by local Native American tribes (most likely the Shoalwater Bay Tribe , comprising Willapa Chinook and Lower Chehalis people) before Thomas Barker Speake and his family arrived early in the summer of 1857. Westport

1845-408: Was $ 32,037 and the median family income was $ 40,037. Males had a median income of $ 33,173 versus $ 23,889 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,362. About 9.0% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over. The Westport Marina is annually ranked as one the top commercial ports for fishing in

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1890-529: Was 48.4 years. 18.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 32.9% were from 45 to 64; and 21.3% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female. At the 2000 census , there were 2,137 people, 983 households, and 547 families living in the city. The population density was 592.9 people per square mile (229.2/km ). There were 1,358 housing units at an average density of 376.8 per square mile (145.6/km ). The racial makeup of

1935-584: Was funded by a local bond. A $ 15.2 million grant, with a 10% match by Westport, was awarded from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the city in 2023 for the construction of a community tsunami evacuation tower that is scheduled to be ready in 2026. Capable of also holding 1,000 people, the tower is planned to be part of a larger park complex near the town's marina and will stand around 50 feet (15.2 m) tall. With plans to add an additional three towers in

1980-410: Was the main method of travel for the Lower Chehalis due to the high levels of vegitation in their territory, thus the Lower Chehalis were highly skilled canoers and swimmers. Canoes typically resembled the normal West Coast canoe style, except for the shovelnose canoe . Traditionally, the Lower Chehalis built gable-roofed houses made of cedar planks. Houses were typically oriented east–west along

2025-468: Was the village level. The historical groupings that spoke Lower Chehalis include: Today, the name "Lower Chehalis" refers to all these groups combined. 19th century ethnologist George Gibbs classified the Satsop as a Lower Chehalis group, but modern ethnograhpers classify them as belonging to the Upper Chehalis dialect group. The name "Chehalis" comes from the Lower Chehalis name c̓x̣íl̕əš ,

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