The Big Lagoon Rancheria is a

federally recognized tribe A federally recognized tribe is a Native American tribe recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs as holding a government-to-government relationship with the US federal government. In the United States, the Native American tribe ...

Yurok The Yurok people are an Algic-speaking Indigenous people of California that has existed along the or "Health-kick-wer-roy" (now known as the Klamath River) and on the Pacific coast, from Trinidad south of the Klamath’s mouth almost to Cresc ...

and

Tolowa The Tolowa people or Taa-laa-wa Dee-ni’ are a Native American people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethno-linguistic group. Two rancherías (Smith River and Elk Valley) still reside in their traditional territory in northwestern California. Tho ...

Indians. They are located in

Humboldt County, California Humboldt County () is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 136,463. The county seat is Eureka, California, Eureka. Humboldt County compri ...

, and their tribal headquarters is in

Arcata, California Arcata (; ; ) is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay (United States), Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, 2020 census, Arcata's population was 18,857. A ...

Government

The tribe was first recognized by the US federal government on 10 July 1918.Big Lagoon Rancheria Historical Background.
''The Barstow Casino & Resort.'' (retrieved 24 Feb 2009) Tribal enrollment is based on a minimum of 1/8

blood quantum Blood quantum laws or Indian blood laws are laws that define Native Americans in the United States status by fractions of Native American ancestry. These laws were enacted by the Federal government of the United States, federal government and S ...

and lineal descent from the Plan of Distribution on the Assets of the Big Lagoon Rancheria, created January 3, 1968.Constitution of the Big Lagoon Rancheria.
1985 (retrieved 24 Feb 2009) The tribe has 24 enrolled members.

Reservation

The Big Lagoon Rancheria was established in 1918. Their reservation is adjacent to Big Lagoon, a beautiful waterway, located north of

Eureka, California Eureka ( ; Wiyot: ; Hupa: ; ) is a city and the county seat of Humboldt County, located on the North Coast of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Bay, north of San Francisco and south of the Oreg ...

. It also lies adjacent to the unincorporated community of

Big Lagoon, California Big Lagoon is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California, Humboldt County, California, north of Trinidad, California, Trinidad at an elevation of . The population is 161 as of the 2020 census, up from 93 in the 2010 census. It cover ...

. Eight households reside on the reservation. The tribe has been able to improve the local water facilities and road system on the reservation. As of the 2010 Census the population was 17.https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=0240

Education

The ranchería is served by the Big Lagoon Union Elementary School District and

Northern Humboldt Union High School District Northern Humboldt Union High School District is a public school district in Humboldt County, California, United States. The Northern Humboldt Union High School District operates two four-year high schools, Arcata High School and McKinleyville H ...

Economic development

Due to the highly sensitive environment of the reservation, the tribe has agreed with the state of California to not develop the reservation. Instead the tribe has partnered with the

Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians of the Los Coyotes Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians, who were located in California.Barstow, California Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, in the Mojave Desert of Southern California. Located in the Inland Empire region of California, the population was 25,415 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Barstow is an impor ...

. The historical Arcata Hotel in Arcata is owned and operated by the Big Lagoon Rancheria.

Notes

References

* Pritzker, Barry M. ''A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. .

External links

Constitution of the Big Lagoon Rancheria
{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Lagoon Rancheria Tolowa Yurok Federally recognized tribes in the United States Native American tribes in California American Indian reservations in California Native Americans in Humboldt County, California 1918 establishments in California Populated coastal places in California