1849 - California ceded to the United States by Mexico

1851 - Treaties negotiated with the Yokut Tribes but never Ratified by the U.S. Congress

1854 - Tejon Reservation established by the U.S. military, at southern end of San Joaquin Valley, near Ft. Tejon

1856 - The original Tule River Reservation was established under the regime of Thomas J. Henley as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in California (Madden Farm)

Tribes represented here were the Koyeti, Yaudanchi, Chunuts, Yokodo, Kaweah, Wukchumne, Punkalachi, Kumachisi, Yowlumne, according to historical records

The total acreage of the first reservation was 1,280 acres, and in 1864 the population there was 800 Indian people

1873 - Establishment of the current Tule River Reservation by Executive Order of President Ulysess S. Grant on January 9, 1873.  Enlarged by Executive Order on October 3, 1873 to 91,837 acres

1878 - On August 3, 1878, by Executive Order of President Rutherford B. Hayes, the reservation lands were reverted back to the size of the first Executive Order of President Grant

1980 - President Jimmy Carter signed into law S.B. 1998 which conveyed back to the Tribe, 1,240 acres of land in the NE corner of the reservation.

1994 - After Purchase of 40 acres of private property on Highway 190, it was put into Federal trust for the tribe.

2004 - Escrow closed on the Harry Lowe property purchased by the Tribe.  While still in fee-status, it adds another 857 acres of land to the reservation (July 14, 2004)

2004 - Wm McDarment property of 21.55 acres which had been turned over to the Tribe was a part of the submittal to B.I.A. for "trust status" of the Tribe.  This also added to the reservation overall land total.

1924 - By an Act of the U.S. Congress, Indian people became naturalized citizens of the United States

1934 - June 18, 1934, this was the date of the enactment for the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA), as amended.  This was the vehicle used by the Tribe to allow its members to vote on proposed Constitution & Bylaws of the Tribe.  This was submitted for ratification to members of the Tule River Bands of the Tule River Reservation and was on December 7, 1935, duly adopted by vote of 43 for and 2 against, in an election in which over 30 percent of those entitled to vote cast their ballots, in accordance with Section 16 of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the act of June 15, 1935 (Pub., No.147, 74th Cong).  Approval of the Tribe's organic document was recommended on January 7, 1936 by William Zimmerman, Jr., Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and approved by the Secretary of the Interior, Harold L. Ickes on January 15, 1936.

1974 - The last amendment to the Constitution & Bylaws was held by Secretarial Election

(supervised and chaired by the B.I.A.) on January 26, 1974 in which the Tribe voted and adopt amendment "N" -to join and/or charter tribal enterprises, corporations and associations.  The vote was 22 for and 10 against with 1 vote being nullified.

Amendment "O" -to join and/or charter tribal housing authorities was adopted by the membership with a vote of 23 for and 9 against.

Amendments IV and V were approved by the Secretary of the Interior, Rogers C.B. Morton on March 4, 1974.

The Tribal Government is comprised of nine (9) council-persons whom are elected by the qualified voting membership of the Tribe.  They serve two(2) year staggered terms.  The day-to-day administrative operations are run by the Tribal Administrator, who serves at the pleasure of the Council.

The Tribe currently operates either directly or indirectly, a medical and dental health facility, a child care facility (county funded and staffed), a USDA Food Distribution Program which covers several counties, a housing authority, a fire department, an education center, a natural resource department, a public works department, an EPA department, a Indian Child Welfare Program, a fiscal department and a administration department.  Also, an alcoholism program and a gymnasium and staff.

The Tribe also operates the Eagle Mountain Casino, the Tule River Economic Development  Corporation (TREDC) and AERO industries, which comes under the TREDC.  

The total number of employees that currently work for the Tribe number around 750 employees.

Amendments

Amendment I.

-1. Add to Article III, Section 4, of the Constitution, the following:  "except as hereinafter provided."

Amendment II

-2.  Substitute the following for Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution:  "Section1.  The five members of the Council receiving the highest vote at the 1942 election shall hold office for a period of one year; thereafter, vacancies shall be filled at annual elections for two-year terms, on the third Saturday in January.

Certificate of Adoption

Pursuant to an order, approved April 13, 1940, by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, the attached Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws of the Tule River  Indian Tribe, were submitted for ratification to the qualified voters of the Tribe, and on May 24, 1940, Amendment I was adopted by a vote of 15 for, and 1 against, and Amendment II was adopted by a vote of 15 for, and 1 against in an election in which more than 30 percent of those entitled to vote cast their ballots in accordance with the section 16 of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 378).

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