Tulalips continue fight for Cama Beach

For about five years, the Tulalip Tribes have fought a state effort to open a park at Cama Beach, a place tribal leaders say was once the site of an American Indian village. Last year, tribal leaders nominated the village site to be added to the National Register of Historic Places in an effort to force the state to halt construction.

On Jan. 25, the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation is expected to discuss the nomination at a meeting in Snohomish.

If approved at the state level, the nomination will be sent to federal historic registry officials for their approval.

Here is a time line of events:

Before 1800: Coast Salish American Indians, believed by Tulalip tribal members to be their ancestors, lived at Cama Beach, either permanently or seasonally. Parts of the area were used as burial grounds.

Late 1800s: European pioneers used the site as a logging village.

Early 1900s: The logging village was renovated and used as a fishing resort.

2001: The fishing resort, made up of rows of small cabins, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

2002: The Tulalip Tribes agreed to allow the state to renovate the cabins and open a state park, but withdrew their approval when human remains believed to be American Indian were found at the site.

2006: A Superior Court judge denied the Tulalip Tribes’ request that work at the site be stopped for good.

2007: The Tulalip Tribes applied to add the ancient Indian village to the National Register of Historic Places, separately from the fishing resort’s national designation. Tribal leaders said they hoped a federal designation would force the state to stop work at the site.