IMPORTANT Dates in Nez
Perce History
1680
Pueblo Indian Revolt in New
Mexico begins trading.
1700-1730
Nez Perce buy first horses from Shoshoni Indians.
1805
Lewis and Clark Expedition
welcomed as first white men to Nez Perce homeland.
1825
Canadian fur traders send two
Indian boys to Red River school in Canada.
1831
Delegation of four Nez Perce
travels 2,000 miles to St. Louis to ask for teachers.
1836
Missionaries Whitman and
Spalding set up first Christian schools and churches in Nez Perce lands.
1840s
10,000 settlers come to Nez Perce homeland,
most staying in Willamette Valley.
1847
Trouble begins between Indians and
settlers with murders at Whittman Mission
1850
Gold rush begins in Oregon
territory.
1853
Washington split off from Oregon
by anti-Indian governor Isaac T. Stevens.
1855
Great Walla Walla Treaty gives
Nez Perce ancient homeland in Wallowas Valley.
1860
Gold discovered in Lewiston,
Idaho, and population soars to 1,200 within a year.
1863
Treaty Council at Lapwai reduces
Nez Perce lands by 90 percent.
1865
New Dreamer cult emerges among
non-treaty Nez Perce.
1871
Chief Joseph dies and son
succeeds him as village leader at age 31.
1877
Chief Joseph and other
non-treaty bands begin flight east over 1,000 mountain miles to Canada.
1884
Exiled Chief Joseph moved from
Kansas reservation to Colville Washington reserve.
1904
Chief Joseph dies at Colville
Reservation.
1980s
Nez Perce live in Northwestern states
and on Lapwai Reservation.