Chemehuevi: A Reservation in Dispute

My family moved to the California side of Lake Havasu in 1968. Back then, the California side of Lake Havasu was federal lease land, and my parents leased a concession with the Fish and Game. In 1974, the Secretary of the Interior added a portion of the shoreline, which included our family's lease land, to the alleged Chemehuevi Reservation. It set into motion a controversy that continues today.

Lake Havasu, once a portion of the Colorado River, was created with the completion of Parker Dam in 1938. Prior to the 1800's two Native American Tribes resided along this section of the Colorado River, they were the Halchidhoma and Mohave Tribes. The Mohaves, with the Yuma who lived farther south, drove the Halchidhoma from the area. By the 1800's a new tribe began moving into the region, they were the Chemehuevi. (This information comes from anthropologist A. L. Kroeber.)

At the time the Chemehuevi moved to the area that would one day be Lake Havasu, the territory was under Mexico's control. Yet, fifty years later it was under the jurisdiction of the United States, and by 1900 the California side of the Colorado River was open to homesteading. All that changed in 1907, when the Secretary of State withdrew this land from all forms of settlement.

One reason given for the withdraw was the anticipation that a portion of the land would be set aside to create reservations for Mission Indians. The Chemehuevis were not Mission Indians. A hundred years later the Chemehuevi Reservation would be listed on California maps, and there would be ongoing lawsuits contesting the legality of that reservation's creation.

Over the years mountain men and miners moved into the area, as did steam boats moving precious cargo down the waterway.

When the thirst for water led to the construction of Parker Dam, Metropolitan Water set aside funds to purchase land from the Mohave and Chemehuevi Tribes, which would pay for land that would eventually be covered by the waters of the new lake. After the lake was completed, and some of the land was not covered, it was turned over to the federal government, to be used as public use land.

Although the tribes had been paid for the land, a second payment to the tribes occurred in the 1960's, in response to a court case. At that time the Indian Claims Commission rendered a judgment in favor of the Tribe for $996,834.81 for "aboriginal lands including whatever interest it may have possessed in the alleged Chemehuevi Valley Indian Reservation on the west bank of the Colorado River". (Information from Stephen Beckham, professor of history at Lewis and Clark College.)

In spite of the second payment to the tribes, the Secretary of Interior added a portion of the California shoreline to the alleged Chemehuevi Reservation. This land transfer cause the loss of business and homes to many who were residing and working on the land.

Thirty-four years later there are still factions seeking restitution and are attempting to prove the claim that not only was the 1974 land transfer illegal, there is not a legal Chemehuevi Reservation. It is a battle that continues today.

SOURCES:

http://havasupalms.com/