Local history

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The land on which we operate the four library branches in southern Oregon is the traditional home of the Takelma (“Those Along the River”), the Athabaskan-speaking Dakubetede (“Beautiful Place”), the Shasta, and the Taltushtuntude peoples. The discovery of gold in our area in the 1850s and the opening of the Oregon Trail led to clashes between colonizers and the native peoples who had been inhabiting the area for thousands of years. These clashes culminated in the Rogue River Indian Wars. Following an 1853 “Treaty of Peace,” the Tribes were confederated together and moved to the Table Rock Reservation in modern-day Medford. Counter to this previous agreement, in 1856 the Tribes were again displaced to the Siletz and Grand Ronde Reservations. Today, the historic Rogue Valley Tribes are represented by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, with some descendants also residing among the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

We encourage community members to take the opportunity to acknowledge the original caretakers of this land. Here are some resources to learn more about Native American tribes and how to develop your own land acknowledgment.