Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Chief Seathl or Did You Say – Seattle?


Seattle, Washington

Seathl was a mighty warrior of the Duwamish Indian Tribe which was located in the area which is now Seattle. He became a chief in the tribe and remained peaceful throughout his life. In 1852, Doc Maynard purchased land in the area and established a general store. Since his store was the only one, Maynard’s business flourished. As the community grew, fear of local Indian attacks grew. To stave off appending attack, Maynard made a deal with Chief Seattle. He would name his town “Seattle” in honor of the chief. At the time, the community was known as “DuWamps”. Chief Seattle agreed and local Indian attacks began to be less of a threat. However, Chief Seattle demanded monthly payments from the town for compensation. The local Duwamish Indians believed that the soul of the chief after his death would be disturbed in the after life whenever the name “Seattle” was spoken.
Photo courtesy of Library of Congress

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