…Suppose a white man should come to me and say, ‘Joseph, I like your horses, and I want to buy them.’ I say to him, ‘No, my horses suit me, I will not sell them.’ Then he goes to my neighbor, and says to him, ‘Joseph has some good horses. I want to buy them, but he refuses to sell.’ My neighbor answers, ‘Pay me the money, and I will sell you Joseph’s horses.’ The white man returns to me and says, ‘Joseph, I have bought your horses, and you must let me have them.’ If we sold our lands to the Government, this is the way they were bought.” — Hinmató·wyalahtq’it (Young Chief Joseph), Nez Perce, 1879

 
Timeline
Timeline
 

Approximate Nez Perce band locations, 1877

Many bands of Nez Perce once inhabited an expansive 14 million acres. Land, language, family, and religion connected them, yet each band prospered under the leadership of their own selected headman.

Halahucú·t, aka Lawyer, headman of the úyeeme band, was a devout follower of Reverend Henry Spalding’s Christian teachings. In order to push through the Treaty of 1863, government officials claimed Halahucú·t as “Head Chief,” and, when most bands living outside the boundaries of the new reserve refused to sign, they claimed his signature to represent all Nez Perces.

Wal’wá·ma headman Tıwi·teqıs (Old Chief Joseph) did not sign. He had once been loyal to Spalding, but was disillusioned by this reduction of land to 10% of what he had agreed to when signing the Treaty of 1855.

“If any respect is to be paid to the laws and customs of the Indians, then the treaty of 1863 is not binding upon Joseph and his band, [and] ... the Wallowa valley is still a part of the Nez Perce reservation.”

— Report of T.B. Odeneal, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, ca. 1865

Our 3D MAP, handmade by artist JR Rymut, allows visitors to tactilely explore the vast landscape from inside our Visitor Center.

Contact Information:
Office phone: 541.886.3101
Office email: info@wallowanezperce.org
Mailing address: P.O. Box 15, Wallowa, OR 97885

The Homeland:
70956 Whiskey Creek Rd., Wallowa, OR 97885
Open to the public dawn to dusk, seven days a week (except during special events)

The Visitor Center:
209 E Second St., Wallowa, OR 97885
Open May 6-September 29, 2024
Hours of Operation:
10:00am-2:00pm, Monday-Thursday, or Fridays by appointment. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Call or email the office to make an appointment.