The Pit River Tribe, a resilient and culturally rich group of indigenous people, boasts a history that stretches back millennia in the rugged and beautiful landscapes of northeastern California. This timeline offers a glimpse into their long and often challenging journey, from a time of abundance and self-sufficiency to the struggles of displacement and the ongoing fight for recognition and cultural preservation.
Approximately 200 AD: The Bow and Arrow Arrives
Around this time, a significant technological advancement reached the Pit River area: the bow and arrow. This new hunting tool revolutionized subsistence practices, likely increasing hunting efficiency and impacting the types of game that could be pursued. The adoption of the bow and arrow marked a shift in hunting strategies and contributed to the evolving relationship between the Pit River people and their environment.
Pre-1800: Millennia of Abundance and Connection to the Land
For thousands of years before European contact, the eleven distinct bands of the Pit River Tribe thrived in their ancestral lands. Numerous villages dotted the landscape, clustered along the banks of Achoma, the Pit River, and extending across the surrounding plains, hills, mountains, and valleys. This vast territory provided a rich tapestry of resources that sustained the people for generations.
These early inhabitants possessed an intimate understanding of their environment. They practiced a seasonal round of resource management, moving strategically across their territory to harvest diverse foods as they came into season. Deer, salmon, trout, rabbit, birds, and other small mammals were hunted and trapped, providing vital sources of protein. Plant resources were equally important, with acorns, roots, herbs, and fruits carefully gathered and processed for sustenance.
The Pit River bands, while sharing a common ancestry, exhibited both similarities and differences in their languages and customs. Some downriver bands constructed simple pit houses in small, familial villages along the river. Their lives were somewhat nomadic, dictated by the rhythms of nature and the availability of resources. They moved with the seasons, following the opportunities to harvest foods and seeking higher ground during the rainy season when creeks and rivers swelled.
Despite the richness of this history, much of the pre-contact culture remains shrouded in mystery. Archaeological evidence and the limited information gathered by early 20th-century ethnographers offer only glimpses into the complex and thriving communities that once flourished throughout the vast Pit River territory.
The Pit River people were skilled artisans, utilizing the natural resources around them to create essential tools and weapons. Basalt and obsidian, particularly from the readily accessible Glass Mountain, were prized materials. Obsidian arrowheads and flakes from toolmaking have been discovered throughout the valley, from riverbanks to hillsides and even in high-altitude hunting camps, attesting to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Pit River people.
1827-1830s: The First Encounters with Outsiders
The relative isolation of the Pit River region began to erode as European-American and Canadian fur trappers and explorers started to penetrate the area. These early encounters marked the beginning of a period of profound change and disruption for the Pit River people.
1830s: The Scourge of Disease
The arrival of Europeans brought not only new technologies and trade goods but also devastating diseases to which the indigenous population had no immunity. The 1830s witnessed widespread epidemics that decimated the Pit River population, weakening their communities and disrupting their traditional way of life.
1848: California Becomes Part of the United States
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, formally ceded California to the United States following the Mexican-American War. This event had far-reaching consequences for the indigenous people of California, including the Pit River Tribe.
1849: The Gold Rush and the Influx of Settlers
The discovery of gold in California in 1849 triggered a massive influx of migrants from across the globe. This Gold Rush brought unprecedented pressure on the state’s resources and had a devastating impact on the indigenous population. Many of the newcomers were ruthless and exploitative, committing acts of violence and dispossession against the Native American people.
1850: California Achieves Statehood
California’s admission to the Union in 1850 further solidified the dominance of the United States and accelerated the process of colonization and displacement of the indigenous population.
1850s: Invasion, Dispossession, and Violence
The 1850s marked a period of intense conflict and suffering for the Pit River Tribe. European-American immigrants, driven by the desire for land and resources, began to encroach upon Pit River territory. The United States government, military forces, and settlers systematically invaded, attacked, displaced, and killed the majority of Pit River Indians. Tragically, no treaties were ever signed, and no compensation was ever provided for the land that was seized.
1851-1853: Legal Mechanisms of Dispossession
The U.S. Congress and the California Legislature enacted a series of laws designed to deny Native Americans land rights and effectively extinguish all aboriginal title in the state. These laws paved the way for continued conflict and injustice, leaving the Pit River Indians without legal recourse or protection.
1850s and 1860s: Environmental Degradation and Displacement
The relentless influx of white emigrants into Pit River territory led to further displacement and profound changes to the environment. The emigrants often displayed a blatant disregard for the delicate balance of nature, allowing their cattle and horses to graze in prime hunting and gathering areas. A steady stream of newcomers arrived, determined to claim Pit River land, and began the process of confiscating and fencing off vast tracts of territory.
Mid-1850s: Massacres and the Destruction of a Way of Life
The mid-1850s witnessed a period of unspeakable violence and tragedy for the Pit River people. European invaders ruthlessly and systematically destroyed their way of life. The Pit River bands, along with virtually all indigenous groups in California, were subjected to repeated abuse, killings, and brutal massacres. Village after village was raided in countless incidents, including infamous battles such as the "Wintoon War" and the "Pit River War." The Pit River Tribe suffered immense losses during this dark chapter of history.
1858: Kibbe’s Guards and the Campaign of Terror
General William Kibbe and Captain I. G. Messec led military and civilian soldiers, known as Kibbe’s Guards, on a campaign of terror against the Indians, extending from Trinity County to the Fall River Valley. These soldiers were notorious for their ruthlessness and efficiency in killing Native Americans.
Many Indians surrendered under the threat of death or starvation, while others were captured. Untold numbers were killed, and their villages and food supplies were deliberately destroyed as part of the military campaign.
1859: Forced Removal and Internment
In 1859, approximately 700 captured Pit River Indians were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and taken to the Round Valley Reservation in Mendocino County for internment. While reports of soldier deaths vary, this period represents a significant loss and disruption for the Pit River people.
Although the main war ended in 1859, the vast majority of Pit River Indians had been killed or forcibly removed from the area. Some remained, hidden away, and over 500 of those who were sent away eventually returned to their homeland, only to find white settlers claiming more and more of their territory.
1868: General Crook and Continued Brutality
The US Army, under the command of General George Crook, brutally asserted control over many upriver Achoma areas in 1868. Many stories of brutal massacres and senseless racist killings of Pit River people have been passed down through oral tradition, serving as a reminder of the injustices they endured.
1878: Timber Exploitation and Environmental Degradation
In 1878, the government began selling timber land, allowing settlers to purchase up to 160 acres at a price of $2.50 per acre. This led to a speculative boom in outlying areas, as large acreages passed into private hands.
The area was subsequently subjected to heavy logging, resulting in significant environmental damage. The super-intense, ecosystem-destroying over-harvesting of timber in the Big Bend region remains a significant problem today. Most of the once vast and diverse forests in the area have been abused, destroyed, and transformed into unhealthy tree farms through clear-cutting and other industrial logging practices.
The Pit River Tribe suffered not only from direct violence but also from the destruction of their environment.
1900s and Beyond: Survival, Adaptation, and Resilience
Despite the immense challenges they faced, the Pit River people persevered. Many survived in poverty, finding work as ranch hands, mill workers, and forestry workers. The arrival of white emigrants permanently altered the environment and culture of the Pit River people.
The Pit River people never signed a treaty with the United States or the State of California; their land was simply illegally confiscated.
Today, the Pit River people have survived and continue to live in what is now called Shasta County, as well as throughout the West. Some continue to hunt and gather in their traditional places, and pray at their sacred sites throughout their homeland. The Pit River Tribe continues to honor these traditions.
Today, they are a federally recognized tribe (headquarters located in Burney, CA) with several "Rancheria" and allotment "satellite" reservations, a casino, a gas station and convenience store, a giant commercial cannabis growing facility (raided by US and California drug agents in July 2015) and a tribal council that includes representation of each of the eleven bands making up the Pit River Nation.
The Pit River Tribe’s history is a testament to their enduring strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Their ongoing efforts to preserve their culture, reclaim their land, and achieve self-determination represent a powerful chapter in the ongoing struggle for indigenous rights. This Pit River Tribe Historical Timeline is a reminder of their journey.