Blue Lake Rancheria facts for kids
The Blue Lake Rancheria is a special place for the Wiyot, Yurok, and Hupa Native American tribes. It's located near the city of Blue Lake in Humboldt County, California. This area is about 76 acres (0.31 km2) big. In 2007, there were 53 members, and by 2010, the population was 58 people.
History of Blue Lake Rancheria
The Blue Lake Rancheria was first set up on December 24, 1908. It was created to be a safe home for Native people who didn't have one. This first area was about 26 acres (0.11 km2). However, in 1954, the United States government ended the Rancheria's special status.
In 1966, the U.S. government gave the Blue Lake Rancheria land back to the tribe. But at that time, they also removed some important Native rights from the tribe's members.
Getting Rights Back
A big lawsuit called Tillie Hardwick v. United States of America was won in 1983. This lawsuit involved 17 Rancherias, including Blue Lake Rancheria. The court ordered the government to give back federal recognition to all these tribes. This meant their special rights were returned in 1989. Today, the tribe follows its own rules, called a constitution.
In January 2008, the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Court was created. This court handles legal matters for people living on the reservation.
Modern Facilities
The Blue Lake Rancheria has a large casino and a hotel with 102 rooms. After a big earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011, the complex added special power systems. These include solar panels, large batteries, and backup generators. This helps them keep electricity during storms, wildfires, or earthquakes. They can even supply power to the main electricity grid when it's needed most.
Education
Students from the Rancheria attend schools in the Blue Lake Union Elementary School District. For high school, they go to the Northern Humboldt Union High School District.
Enrollment
To become a member of the Blue Lake Rancheria, you need to show lineal descent. This means you must be a direct descendant of a tribal member. There are no rules about how much Native American heritage you need to have.
