Located near Five Mile Rapids, the village was located at the far eastern reach of Chinookan lands. Archaeologists believe the site was occupied for about 10,000 years.[2] The village was a common trading site for Indians in the surrounding areas,[3] acting as a link between tribes from the Pacific Coast, and the interior Northwest. The site was visited by nearby Yakamas, as well as those from as far away as the Nez Perce, who would come to trade fish, berries, skins, buffalo, amongst many other items.[4]
The village was visited during the westward journey by Lewis and Clark, and again on their eastward return journey, though by the time of the second visit, the village was at a site about 300 yards (270 m) downstream from the site visited the previous fall. Lewis and Clark estimated that there were about 600 people living at the site during the first visit (October 1805), and around 1,000 during the second visit (April 1806). Clark noted in his journals that there were about 20 wooden houses at the site, near a man-made earthen mound called Wakemup (or Wakamup) Mound.[5]
In 1854, the village was struck by an epidemic of smallpox, which killed 257 residents. Survivors of the epidemic blamed a "medicine-man" for failure to cure the disease, and killed him by putting him on a horse with a noose around his neck.[7]
Around 1860, residents of Wishram began moving to the Yakama Indian Reservation, under treaties signed in 1855,[8] but Indians continued to be allowed to use the site for fishing. Until 1957, the village located at the site was referred to as Spearfish,[9] which was flooded by the creation of The Dalles Dam.
Wakemap Moundedit
Wakemap Mound is a mound at the site that measures roughly 350 feet (110 m) long, by 270 feet (82 m) wide, and 20 feet (6.1 m) deep.[10] The site is now surrounded by water caused by the construction of The Dalles Dam.
Boyd, Robert (1996). People of the Dalles: The Indians of Wascopam Mission, University of Nebraska Press.
Oregon Archaeological Society (1959). Wakemap Mound, Binford and Mort.
Ruby, Robert H.; Brown, John Arthur. A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest, University of Oklahoma Press.
Samson, Karl (2008). Frommer's Washington State, Frommer's.
Spranger, Michael S. (1996). Columbia Gorge: A Unique American Treasure, DIANE Publishing.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wishram village.
December 18, 2023
wishram, village, wishram, village, referred, nixlúidix, residents, summer, winter, village, columbia, river, washington, united, states, occupied, upper, chinook, people, considered, largest, prehistoric, chinook, village, site, site, part, columbia, hills, s. Wishram Village referred to as nixluidix by its residents was a summer and winter village on the Columbia River Washington United States occupied by Upper Chinook people It is considered the largest prehistoric Chinook village site The site is now part of Columbia Hills State Park Wishram Indian Village SiteU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtPetroglyphs at the village site LocationKlickitat County Washington USANearest cityThe Dalles OregonArea2 930 acres 11 9 km2 NRHP reference No 72001278 1 Added to NRHPMarch 16 1972 Contents 1 History 1 1 Wakemap Mound 2 References 3 Sources 4 External linksHistory editLocated near Five Mile Rapids the village was located at the far eastern reach of Chinookan lands Archaeologists believe the site was occupied for about 10 000 years 2 The village was a common trading site for Indians in the surrounding areas 3 acting as a link between tribes from the Pacific Coast and the interior Northwest The site was visited by nearby Yakamas as well as those from as far away as the Nez Perce who would come to trade fish berries skins buffalo amongst many other items 4 The village was visited during the westward journey by Lewis and Clark and again on their eastward return journey though by the time of the second visit the village was at a site about 300 yards 270 m downstream from the site visited the previous fall Lewis and Clark estimated that there were about 600 people living at the site during the first visit October 1805 and around 1 000 during the second visit April 1806 Clark noted in his journals that there were about 20 wooden houses at the site near a man made earthen mound called Wakemup or Wakamup Mound 5 By the time of the July 1841 visit by the United States Exploring Expedition United States Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes described the village as having forty lodges and 400 inhabitants 6 In 1854 the village was struck by an epidemic of smallpox which killed 257 residents Survivors of the epidemic blamed a medicine man for failure to cure the disease and killed him by putting him on a horse with a noose around his neck 7 Around 1860 residents of Wishram began moving to the Yakama Indian Reservation under treaties signed in 1855 8 but Indians continued to be allowed to use the site for fishing Until 1957 the village located at the site was referred to as Spearfish 9 which was flooded by the creation of The Dalles Dam Wakemap Mound edit Wakemap Mound is a mound at the site that measures roughly 350 feet 110 m long by 270 feet 82 m wide and 20 feet 6 1 m deep 10 The site is now surrounded by water caused by the construction of The Dalles Dam References edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 Spranger p 8 Samson p 324 Watch Lewis and Clark Ken Burns PBS PBS Boyd pp 47 49 Boyd p 48 Boyd p 82 Ruby p 270 Boyd p 350 OAS p 15Sources editBoyd Robert 1996 People of the Dalles The Indians of Wascopam Mission University of Nebraska Press Oregon Archaeological Society 1959 Wakemap Mound Binford and Mort Ruby Robert H Brown John Arthur A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest University of Oklahoma Press Samson Karl 2008 Frommer s Washington State Frommer s Spranger Michael S 1996 Columbia Gorge A Unique American Treasure DIANE Publishing External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wishram village Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wishram village amp oldid 1168488656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
