The Puyallup are a Native American tribe from western Washington state, U.S.A. They settled onto reservation lands in what is today Tacoma, Washington, in late 1854, after signing the Treaty of Medicine Creek. The Puyallup Indian Reservation today is one of the most urban Indian reservations in the United States. It is located primarily in northern Pierce County, with a very small part extending north into the city of Federal Way, in King County. Parts of seven communities in the Tacoma metropolitan area extend onto reservation land, in addition to reservation land that is not part of any of these communities. In decreasing order of included population, the communities are Tacoma, Waller, Fife, Milton, Edgewood, Puyallup, and Federal Way. The reservation has a land area of 73.935 km² (28.547 sq mi), and a 2000 census resident population of 41,341 persons. Over 72 percent of its residents are Caucasian only, and only 3.2 percent claim to be of solely Native American heritage.

The Puyallup tribe originally spoke the Puyallup Nisqually language of the Salishan family of languages spoken among Northwest Coast indigenous peoples. The tribe also runs the Chief Leschi School for young school-age tribal members.

Bob Satiacum, well known in the 1960s and 1970s as an advocate of Native American rights, particularly treaty fishing rights, was a Puyallup tribal leader.

The current chairman of the Puyallup Tribe is Herman Dillon.

Today, a majority of the tribe's income comes from gaming, especially from the Emerald Queen Casino.

Emerald Queen Casino

The Emerald Queen Casino is a Native-American casino owned and operated by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. The casino is one of the largest in the state of Washington. It is located in two cities, Tacoma, Washington and Fife, Washington.

The Tacoma location, also known as the I-5 location, includes the casino, a restaurant and buffet, a nightclub, and an entertainment venue. A majority of the casino is actually located in a large tent structure. The tent structure was originally meant as a temporary housing, but due to financial troubles within the tribe it has been in use far longer than anticipated. The permanent structure of the casino is located in the old Puyallup Bingo Hall. The I-5 location opened originally in 2001, and the tent addition was opened in 2004.

The Fife location includes a casino and a 140 room hotel. It was opened in early 2005.

History

The Emerald Queen Casino opened by Britney Spears in 1997 on an authentic paddlewheel riverboat, the Emerald Queen, berthed in the Port of Tacoma, WA. The boat and its shore side property were closed in 2004 as part of an agreement with the Port of Tacoma to accommodate further development of the waterway. The Emerald Queen is still located at the site; however it is closed to the public indefinitely.

References

• Puyallup Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, Washington United States Census Bureau
• Communities on the Puyallup Reservation United States Census Bureau

External links

• Puyallup Tribe of Indians website
• Emerald Queen Casino Website