Chehalis: A Small Tribe Doing Big Things
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The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation in Washington prove that a small tribe can make a massive impact through innovation, economic development, and community investment.
The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation in Washington State may be small in enrollment numbers, but their impact on tribal innovation and community development is anything but small.
With a reservation spanning 4,400 acres in western Washington, the Chehalis Tribe has built an economic engine that includes the Great Wolf Lodge resort, a thriving casino, and multiple business enterprises that employ hundreds of people — both tribal members and non-Natives from surrounding communities.
But it's their investments in community infrastructure that truly set them apart. The tribe has built state-of-the-art flood protection systems to protect their homeland from the Chehalis River flooding that has threatened the reservation for generations. Their innovative flood mitigation project is now studied by engineers nationwide.
The tribe's education programs have achieved remarkable results, with high school graduation rates well above state averages and a growing number of tribal members earning college degrees. Their Head Start and early childhood education programs are models for other tribal communities.
"We may be a small tribe, but we think big," said a tribal leader. "Everything we do is about building a future for our children and their children."
The Chehalis have also been leaders in environmental stewardship, working to restore salmon runs in the Chehalis River basin and protect old-growth forests on their ancestral lands.