CAMANO ISLAND – The state parks director said Thursday he won’t sell Cama Beach to the Tulalip Tribes, but pledged to seek the fullest possible protection for the remains of tribal ancestors buried on the land.
Michael O’Leary / The Herald
“We’re willing to talk about changing the development plans to accommodate their concerns,” said Rex Derr, director of the Parks and Recreation Commission. “I’m not willing to talk about selling the land.”
The state is restoring the 430-acre former fishing resort into a destination park with rental cabins, a retreat lodge, a dining hall and cultural facilities. Most of the work was stopped following the discovery earlier this year of remains of four American Indians and a number of artifacts.
On Wednesday, the tribes’ board of directors sent Derr a letter in which it objected to continued construction and said it was “committed to utilizing all available tribal resources to gain full protection of the site.”
“It’s such a sensitive issue when you’re talking about developing it as a tourist attraction and it’s a burial ground,” said the Tulalips’ general manager, Linda Jones, on Thursday.
The letter said the tribes are willing to discuss all viable options to protect the site, including purchase of the land. No discussions on a sale price have occurred, Jones said.
Asked what the tribes would do if the state chooses not to sell the park, she said, “We’ll address that when we get there. We’re confident that we’ll be able to have our concerns addressed.”
Derr said he spoke with tribal vice chairman Mel Sheldon Thursday, and the two agreed to meet. Derr said he understood that the strong tone in the letter reflected tribal members’ deep concern about disturbing burial grounds.
“Our mission is precisely what the tribes is interested in having done out there in terms of preserving the site and its historical values,” Derr said. “I believe they want us to go as far as possible to respect the spiritual message that the site conveys.”
State Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip, who is not on the board of directors, said tribal leaders “do not have an objection to the concept of a park there. The issue is how do we take care of our elders without desecrating them.”
The property on the west side of Camano Island was home to the Snohomish people at least 1,600 years ago, based on carbon dating of artifacts found there, state parks officials said.
In the 1800s, a logging camp operated on the land, which has a mile-long stretch of shoreline on Saratoga Passage and forested uplands. The camp closed, and Leroy Stradley bought the property and built a resort that opened in 1934.
The resort was owned and operated by Stradley’s descendants until closing in 1989. With nearly 50 cabins and related facilities, it is considered an archetype of the salmon-fishing resorts of the 1930s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The state acquired the land in 1994 from Karen Hamalainen and Sandra Worthington, Stradley’s granddaughters. The women donated a portion, valued at $9.7 million, and the state paid them $6.7 million for the rest. The two sisters have remained closely involved with the project, including the unearthing of the remains.
On Thursday, Hamalainen, who was raised at Cama Beach and now lives in Bellingham, said she hopes the state and the tribes work things out.
“It’s important to preserve what’s above the ground. It’s important to preserve what’s below the ground,” she said. “And it’s important to preserve the basic nature of the area.”
The state has spent $9.1 million on developing the park so far. Coupled with the purchase of the land, the state has spent $15.8 million.
In November, a permit was obtained for archaeological excavation to precede the renovation of existing cabins and construction of a new retreat lodge, conference hall and dining hall.
In January, the first of four remains were found. The tribes asked that work be stopped, and it was, said Jeanne Wahler, the park commission’s northwest region manager.
The bones were examined and determined to be 2,000 years old, Jones said. The Tulalips conducted a ceremony and reburied the remains at the park.
Since March, Wahler said the state has worked to respect the tribes’ wishes.
“They’ve made a clear statement to us. We will respect that,” Wahler said. “We think it’s extra important to tell the story of the fishing village and of the Native Americans. We hope that they will be part of telling that story.”
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623or jcornfield@ heraldnet.com.
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