STATE OF IDAHO JUDICIAL BRANCH
Tribal State Court Forum

Tribal History

Organized under the auspices of the Idaho Supreme Court

Coeur d'Alene Tribe

The aboriginal territory of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe encompassed approximately four million acres over an area that extended into Washington and Montana and which was centered around Coeur d’Alene Lake. The aboriginal tribal economy was based upon hunting, fishing, and gathering. Dissatisfaction with treaties being negotiated for Tribal lands led to battles with federal troops in 1858. The Coeur d’Alene Reservation was established by Executive Order dated November 8, 1873.

Kootenai Tribe of Idaho

The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho was once part of a larger Kootenai Tribe situated in what is now Montana and Canada. Although the "Kootenay" tribe was party to the Treaty of Hellgate in Montana on July 16, 1855, the Idaho Kootenai were apparently not represented, although the treaty ceded lands of the Idaho Kootenai. Thereafter tribal members received a few allotments but there was no reservation established for the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho. It was not until October 18, 1974, that lands were set aside in trust for the Kootenai Tribe by the United States. Act of October 18, 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-458, 88 Stat. 1383.

Nez Perce Tribe

The Nez Perce Tribe aboriginally had the exclusive use and occupancy of 13,000,000 acres, including all of what are now north central Idaho, southeastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon. The tribe had a strong economy based upon horses and hunting, fishing, and gathering activities that extended far from traditional areas. The Treaty of 1855, 12 Stat. 957, established a reservation of some 7.5 million acres. The discovery of gold on the reservation lead to a second treaty in 1863, 14 Stat. 647, which diminished the reservation to its current size of some 750,000 acres. The effects of that treaty lead to the 1877 war with the United States. The Tribe was also party to a treaty in 1868, 15 Stat. 693, and an agreement with the United States in 1893, neither of which affected the size of the reservation.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

The Shoshone and Bannock Tribes were separate tribal entities that were largely intermixed by the time the first non-Indians arrived in what is now southern Idaho. Their traditional territory consisted of most of what is now southern Idaho and extended into Wyoming. Bison hunting was an important facet of tribal life and hunting trips often extended into what is now Montana and Wyoming. The Fort Hall Reservation was established for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes by Treaty of July 3, 1868, 15 Stat. 673.

Shoshone-Paiute Tribes

Separate bands of the Shoshone and Paiute Tribes were placed together on what is now known as the Duck Valley Reservation. The reservation was established by Executive Order on April 6, 1877. The entire reservation is held in trust status by the United States for the tribe. It has never been allotted.