Shasta Costa facts for kids

The Shasta Costa (also known by names like Chasta Costa or Shastacosta) were a group of Native American people. They lived in southwestern Oregon, mainly along the Rogue River and its smaller rivers, like the Lower Illinois River. Their land was between places now called Agness and Foster Bar. They spoke a language called Tututni, also known as Lower Rogue River Athabaskan. For official talks about land, they were grouped with other Rogue River Indians. One of their villages, named Tlegetlinten, was near Agness. Later, people from Europe and America moved into this village.

Life and Challenges

The Shasta Costa people lived in their villages for many years. They had strong communities along the rivers.

Miners Arrive

In the 1850s, miners came to Oregon looking for gold. These miners often pushed the Shasta Costa people out of their homes. This caused many problems and made life very hard for the tribe.

A Difficult Time

In January 1856, two miners were killed near where the Illinois and Rogue Rivers meet. No one was sure if Native Americans or other miners caused their deaths. The military sent Lieutenants John Chandler and John Drysdale with 17 soldiers. They went to try and convince the Shasta Costa to leave their homes. The soldiers wanted them to move to the coast to avoid more trouble with the miners.

The young lieutenants could not convince the peaceful Shasta Costa to leave their sturdy plank houses. The tribe did not want to move to an unknown life near the white settlements. So, the soldiers went back to the towns near the mouth of the Rogue River.

Moving to Reservations

Later that winter, some Native American groups gave up after a battle at the Big Bend of the Rogue River. By June, members of the Shasta Costa tribe were sent to special areas called Siletz Reservation or Grand Ronde Reservation. These were places set aside for Native American tribes.

Shasta Costa Today

In 1856, there were about 153 Shasta Costa people. By 1937, only about 30 remained. Today, the descendants of the Shasta Costa are an important part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. They continue to keep their history and culture alive.