State parks commission approves transferring Fort Yamhill to the Tribe

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals editor

More than 165 years after Fort Yamhill was first established to surveil the movement of Tribal people to and from the Grand Ronde Reservation, it will soon be returned to Tribal ownership.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously voted to approve a transfer of the 110-acre Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde during a Wednesday, Nov. 20 meeting.

The park is located near the uyxat Powwow Grounds and achaf-hammi Tribal plankhouse off Hebo Road.  

“This has been a long and important process…To really understand why this all makes sense you have to go back 170 years and understand that the whole reason this fort existed was to assist in the rounding up, sometimes by force, of the ancestors of the Grand Ronde and placing a military presence on their back doorstep to keep them contained and under surveillance,” Commissioner Doug Deur said. “So, it is really their history and an awkward history, and an awkward one for us to try and interpret and manage on their behalf. So, it is a unique property with a unique history tied specifically to this Tribe and so it feels like that just going back the Tribe and then in federal trust for the Tribe is an interesting kind of full circle in that history…we’re playing a role in history as we speak.”

The commission first tried to transfer the land to the Tribe in 2022 but was unable to complete the process because at the time, there was no Oregon statute that permitted a no-cost transfer to a federally recognized Tribe. In the interim, a memorandum of understanding was approved in 2023 between the Tribe and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to jointly manage the property with the eventual goal of the Tribe taking over ownership.

“The arrangement has been very successful,” OPRD Field & Community Services Deputy Director Matt Rippee said. “Operations are going well. (The Tribe) would like to assume ownership and use the site as a hub for celebration in addition to keeping the property open to visitors. (We) are committed to an ongoing relationship.”

Tribal Lands and Self-Governance Manager Jan Michael Reibach said the transfer process is expected to be complete by early 2025 and that more information on the process would be forthcoming.

Before the transfer is finalized, Tribal Council must give its approval, which is tentatively set to occur in January.

“We are honored by OPRD’s board of commissioners unanimous decision to transfer Fort Yamhill park to the Tribe,” he said. “This has been a lengthy, multi-layered project and we are now close to completing the process. Our hearts are full of gratitude. We look forward to the continuation of healing the land and celebrating with our members and communities.”