Hump Day History

 

Chief Seattle died on this day, 1866.

Thirteen years before, American settlers had named their settlement for him in thanks for his welcoming and kindness.

Born sometime around 1790, Chief Seathl was of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes of the Pacific Coast, an area that is today called the Puget Sound.

Many of the first villagers were there for timber, and the trees would skid down the chute to the new sawmill.  The chute became known as "Skid Road," and when the business district moved south, it became a haven for drunks and drugs, and the term became synonymous with a bad part of town.

In 1855, Indians from the White River Valley attacked the village, and Chief Seattle reasoned with them to stop.  He knew the white settlers would eventually drive his people out, but he felt that resistance would only anger them and hasten the Indians demise, so they made peace.

The language of the tribes is called Lushootseed.  Suquamish are "people of the clear salt water," while Duwamish are "people of the inside."

Suquamish belief states that mention of a dead man's name disturbs eternal rest, so the people of Seattle levied a tax on themselves to use the Chief's name and "prepay" for his difficulties in the afterlife.