Pomo Tribe

United States

Indigenous Peoples of the United States

Indigenous People of California

Pomo Tribe

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History

The Pomo Indians traditionally lived in what is now northwestern California around the Clear Lake area north of San Francisco, and along the Russian River, in Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma Counties. Today, there are about 5,000 Pomo living in several rancherias and reservations on or near the places of their origin.

Brief Timeline

1579: Sir Francis Drake encountered the tribe

1811-1842: Russians established Fort Ross, employed tribal members for agricultural work.

1817: established

1822: Mexican land grants

1834-1847: Many died in conflicts with the Mexican military

epidemics of smallpox and cholera killed many

1958: 41 California rancherias were terminated

Additional References to the History of the Tribe

Frederick Webb Hodge, in his Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, gave a more complete history of the Pomo  tribe, with estimations of the population of the tribe at various time periods. Additional details are given in John Swanton's The Indian Tribes of North America.

Reservations / Rancherias

Pinoleville Rancheria Northern Pomo

Yokaya Rancheria

Bands of the Pomo Tribe and Their Reservations

• Big Valley Band -- Big Valley Rancheria
  
• Cloverdale Group -- Cloverdale Rancheria
  
• Coyote Valley Band -- Coyote Valley Rancheria
• Dry Creek Group -- Dry Creek Rancheria
• Elem Indian Colony -- also known as the Sulphur Bank Rancheria
• Grindstone Rancheria
• Guidiville Rancheria
• Hopland Band -- Hopland Rancheria
• Kashia Band -- Stewarts Point Rancheria
• Little River Band -- Potter Valley Rancheria
• Lytton Rancheria
• Manchester Band -- Manchester-Point Arenas Rancheria
• Middletown Group -- Middletown Rancheria
• Pinoleville Group -- Pinoleville Rancheria
• Potter Valley Group -- Potter Valley Rancheria
• Redwood Valley Group -- Redwood Valley Rancheria
• Robinson Rancheria
• Round Valley Reservation
• Scotts Valley Band -- Scotts Valley Rancheria
• Sherwood Valley Group -- Sherwood Valley Rancheria
• Stewarts Point Rancheria
• Sulphur Bank Rancheria
• Upper Lake Band -- Upper Lake Rancheria

Records

Superintendency

Records for Superintendencies exist in the National Archives and copies of many of them are also available in other research facilities.

California Superintendency

Important Websites

• Constitution and By-Laws for the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria
• Constitution and ByLaws of the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester Rancheria California
• Pomo People Wikipedia

Bibliography

• California Indians and Their Reservations: An Online Dictionary. Available online.