Rattlesnake Island (Clear Lake) facts for kids

For other places with the same name, see Rattlesnake Island (disambiguation).

Rattlesnake Island is a special island found in Clear Lake in Lake County, northern California. It's about 53 acres (21 hectares) in size, but this can change a lot depending on how high or low the lake's water level is. The island is located about 500 feet (152 meters) from the north shore of Clear Lake, close to where the Elem Indian Colony is located.

A Look at Rattlesnake Island's Past

Rattlesnake Island has a very long and interesting history. People believe that Native American groups have been active on the island for as long as 8,000 years! This means people were using the island even before many ancient civilizations existed.

The Pomo People's Connection

The island is especially important to the Southeastern Pomo people. They are a Native American tribe who have lived in this area for a very long time. For the Elem Pomo Colony, Rattlesnake Island is considered their original home and a very important spiritual and community center. It's a place where their history and beliefs are deeply rooted.

Who Owns Rattlesnake Island?

The ownership of Rattlesnake Island has been a topic of discussion and disagreement for many years, going all the way back to the late 1800s.

A Difficult Decision

In 1949, a United States court made a decision that caused the Elem Pomo tribe to lose legal control of a large amount of their traditional land, including Rattlesnake Island. This was a very challenging time for the tribe, as they lost rights to land that had been part of their heritage for centuries.

Current Ownership and Plans

Today, the legal owner of Rattlesnake Island is a businessman from the Bay Area named John Nady. He is the founder of a company called Nady Systems, Inc.. In 2003, Mr. Nady wanted to build a log cabin on the island. Members of the Elem Indian Colony disagreed with this plan, but he eventually received permission to build.

A local archaeologist named John Parker asked the government to add Rattlesnake Island to the National Register of Historical Places. This would help protect the island because of its important history. John Nady is currently working on building a special vacation home on the island. This home will be "sustainable," which means it will use things like solar power (energy from the sun) and have animals living there, trying to be good for the environment.