Yesteryears -- Aug. 15, 2017

2012 – The Grand Ronde Tribe was in the process of having two electric car charging stations installed at the Tribal convenience store on state Highway 18, making the Tribe among the first locations in the United States to take such a stand for greener highways.

2007 – Tribal Council Chairman Chris Mercier and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed a proclamation in the Governance Center Atrium that will lead to greater sovereignty for the Tribe by allowing for the creation of more access to game for ceremonial purposes and increased Tribal management of its own lands.

2002 – An open house was held for the Tribe’s new Education Campus. Education Director Marion Mercier thanked Tribal leadership past and present and staff for helping to make the dream of a new gymnasium complete. The gym included a full-scale basketball court, workout room, locker rooms and performance stage.

1997 – The Tribe’s Natural Resources Department moved out of modular offices and into a new facility located on Hebo Road.

1992 – Tracy Olson, the new newsletter director for the Tribe, introduced herself to Smoke Signals readers. She was a recent graduate of the University of Oregon. “I primarily want to create a paper which offers entertaining and informative articles for all Tribal members,” she wrote.

1987 – Cindy Martin was selected as Miss Grand Ronde and Marlo George as Junior Miss Grand Ronde during a Royalty Pageant held in conjunction with the Tribe’s third annual Contest Powwow.

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