Washoe Tribe returns over 10,000 acres of ancestral land back to its people

Tribe buys 10,000 acres north of Lake Tahoe from city of Santa Clara in historic land deal

In the 1850s, settlers from around the world poured into California to seek their fortunes during the Gold Rush. The Washoe people, who had lived around Lake Tahoe for thousands of years, were pushed out. Farming, logging and mining took over their traditional territory in the Sierra Nevada, leading at times to violent conflicts. Now, 175 years later, the tribe is getting some of its land back. The land, which is home to herds of pronghorn antel…

Washoe Tribe returns over 10,000 acres of ancestral land back to its people

SIERRA COUNTY, Calif. – In what is the largest land return in the Sierra Nevada and third largest in California, the Washoe Tribe now owns 10,274 acres northeast of Lake Tahoe, announcing the historical and culturally significant acquisition on Wednesday, Feb. 11. “It’s a full level of healing of historic trauma that is passed down through generations of our people, knowing that we once flourished in these areas,” Washoe Tribe Chairman Serrell S…