Smith River Reservation facts for kids

The Smith River Reservation was a special area of land set aside for Native American people in California during the 1800s. It was located along the Smith River. This reservation was created on April 9, 1862, by the Department of Indian Affairs.

It was needed because the Klamath River Reservation had been destroyed by a huge natural disaster called the Great Flood of 1862. The Smith River Reservation was also meant to be a home for the Tolowa people, a Native American tribe from that area.

Camp Lincoln and Protection

Near the reservation, a military base called Camp Lincoln was built. It replaced an older fort, Fort Ter-Waw, which had also been badly damaged by the Great Flood.

At first, Camp Lincoln was built to protect American settlers near Crescent City from Native American groups. However, on September 11, 1862, Major James F. Curtis moved the camp. He moved it about six miles north of the city, into a clearing in a redwood forest, close to the reservation. This change was made to protect the Native Americans living on the reservation from the settlers.

People Sent to the Reservation

In September 1862, more than 800 Native American people were sent to the Smith River Reservation. These people had been captured during a conflict known as the Bald Hills War.

The soldiers at Camp Lincoln were given an extra job: to stop these people from escaping. They wanted to prevent them from going back to their homes in the Bald Hills and Eel River areas. However, the soldiers were not very successful. Hundreds of these Native American people managed to escape that autumn.

End of the Reservation

The Smith River Reservation did not last very long. It was officially closed down by an act of Congress on July 28, 1868.