Yesteryears -- Sept. 1, 2014

2009 - U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader introduced House Resolution 3514, which would amend the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act to include the Grand Ronde Tribe. The act lists the Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. "Grand Ronde is a Columbia River Tribe and there is no reason to deny the Tribe an equal voice with the other Tribes under the Scenic Area Act," he said.

2004 - A Tribal satellite office in Portland opened at 3312 S.W. Kelly, funded by an Administration for Native Americans grant. Eighty-six percent of Tribal members living in Portland who answered a 2002 Tribal survey said that they would use a satellite office as a first step in seeking Tribal services.

1999 - The second annual Chinook Jargon Conference was held over three days in Grand Ronde, drawing a fairly even distribution of Tribal members and outside academics. Of the 30 participants, the Tribal perspective ranged from 6-year-old Kim Contreras to Tribal Chairwoman Kathryn Harrison. "For some of our people, Chinook was the only language they spoke, so then even God would have to learn it, don't you think?" Harrison said.

1994 - Construction started on the Tribe's $21 million gaming center, which is scheduled for a grand opening in August 1995. "Ours is the only Indian gaming project that has managed to obtain financing through a major commercial lender," said Bruce Thomas, director of Spirit Mountain Development Corp. about an $18.5 million loan approved by John Hancock Insurance Co.

1989 - Smoke Signals and Tribal archives do not have a copy of the September 1989 edition.

1984 - About 150 people attended the Mercier Family and Friends reunion. Tommy and Lori Fuentes from Warm Springs brought salmon and eels to help celebrate. Attendees had a good time with swimming, horseshoes, volleyball and playing cards.

Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year increments through the pages of Smoke Signals.