They were first driven into the area from the east by their long-time enemies, the Northern Paiute, by whom they were later dominated. After soundly defeating the Washoe, the Paiute, who had obtained and learned to ride horses, would not allow the Washoe to own or ride their own mounts.

Though the Washoe tried their best to avoid the white settlers, their lands were some of the first in the western Great Basin to be extensively settled. As their hunting grounds succumbed to farms, and the Pinyon groves were cut down for lumber in Virginia City, the Washoe found themselves dependent upon the settlers for jobs. Their new settlements were referred to at the time as “Indian colonies,” but were not formal Indian reservations.

That did not change until the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, when the colonies in the Carson Valley area of Nevada and California gained federal recognition as the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.  Another colony near Reno, Nevada, which was also comprised of Paiute and Shoshoni people, was granted separate recognition as the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.

The federally recognized Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California now counts among its membership, some 2,000 people. With their deep roots for the Lake Tahoe area, they combine traditional and modern conservation practices in the protection and restoration of endangered habitats. 

They are governed by a Tribal Council and a Chairman, consisting of 12 representatives from the Washoe Tribal Community Councils. The council is responsible for the cultural preservation of the Washoe history and culture and the Chairman is responsible for the daily operations of the tribe.

Contact Information:

Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California

800-76-WASHOE

© Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, January, 2009.