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Warm Springs

The community of Warm Springs is home to numerous small businesses as well as tribal enterprises including the Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, Warm Springs Forest Products Industries, and The Museum at Warm Springs.  Warm Springs boasts some of the finest water recreation sites in the area including Lake Billy Chinook.  With a spirit of progress and plans for the future, Warm Springs offers exciting cultural and economic opportunities.

History

Long before Europeans came to the Americas, the Wasco and Warm Springs tribes lived beside the Columbia River and Cascade Mountains.  The Paiute lived throughout the vast plateaus to the southeast of Oregon’s political border.  These were the three tribes that constitute the modern federation called the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and who own and occupy the Warm Springs Indian Reservation created by the Treaty of 1855. 

Warm Springs became the political and economic center of the 600,000-acre reservation that comprises much of the northern part of Central Oregon. In 1937, the three tribes adopted a constitution, Bill of Rights and bylaws for tribal government, and in 1938 formally accepted a corporate charter from the United States for business endeavors.  During the period between 1940 and 1970 The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs came to be known as leaders among Native Americans in self-preservation, self-determination, and innovation for economic development efforts. 

Stats at a Glance

Property Tax Rate 2002/2003

No Property Tax levied

Elevation

1575’

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Population

Using data from the Vital Statistics System (an internal tribal entitlement payment system), the 1998 Warm Springs reservation population wa estimated at 4,314, however the Center for Population and Census Research at Portland State estimates its population to be approximately 3,500.  By all accounts, population has doubled since 1975.  Since the 1960’s tribal enrollment, the dominating measure of population growth has reflected an annual population growth rate of 2.75%.  This growth rate is expected to continue, resulting in a total enrollment of 6,585 members by the year 2020.  Non-Indian residents are estimated to comprise approximately 9% of the residents, those married into the tribe or other Indian at 22% of the population and recent history indicates that approximately 19% of members do not live on the reservation.  Therefore, the total expected population for Warm Springs in 2020 is forecast to be approximately 8,692 total residents. 

Development

Large Scale development of tribal resources began in 1942 with a 20-year contract for selective harvest of 500 million board feet of reservation lumber, followed by the purchase of a plywood plant and sawmill in 1967.  The tribes also negotiated agreements for use of tribal lands for the Pelton and Round Butte Dams, which provided a revenue stream for tribal activities and projects.  Proceeds from these enterprises provided capital for further land acquisition and additional developments in recent years such as the popular Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge Resort, Indian Head Casino and Museum at Warm Springs.  

In the early 1970's the Tribes established the Warm Springs Industrial Park and Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery.  The industrial park offers building sites to non-tribal members on a lease-only basis. In 2000 the Tribes entered into an agreement with Pacific Power to purchase the Warm Springs Power Enterprise hydroelectric dam on the Deschutes River.

In 1993, the Confederated Tribes entered into a joint venture with Structural Technology Incorporated (STI) to develop products from diatomaceous earth. The joint venture, Tectonics International, is the first formal business venture between the Tribes (51%) and an off-Reservation company, STI (49%). Tectonics International is charged with the development of diatomaceous earth products, the marketing of those products, and the licensing of the products to manufactures worldwide.

Advantages await new business development in Warm Springs.  Because the Confederated Tribes are a sovereign nation, they have the ability to exact their own taxes, fees, and land use policies. In Warm Springs, no property taxes are levied on reservation lands, and no business licenses are required.  Additionally, enterprises locating on the tribal land can utilize special federal tax credit programs.  

Livability

Located in the plateaus and river valleys of northern Jefferson County, Warm Springs offers residents a wide variety of outdoor experiences.  Lake Billy Chinook lies to the southern border while the western and northwestern borders back up against the scenic beauty of the Cascade Mountain Range. Because Warm Springs is an Indian Reservation, and property within its borders is owned communally by the Confederated Tribes, residency preference is given to tribal members. 

During the past 145 years, the community of Warm Springs has developed a very strong and unique cultural identity that draws upon centuries of Indian heritage.  For instance, you will find local Native American radio programming with traditional music and language.  The tribes also have their own religion and customs that are still actively practiced. Yet, as has been their practice from the early days of white settlement, the Tribes continue a tradition of hospitality and cooperation with their non-native neighbors.  For instance, education for grades K-4 is provided on the reservation, while grades 4-12 are educated in the Madras school system. 

Within the community, the Tribal government provides a variety of services, including education, public safety, utilities, health, resource management, business development and recreation. Many services not offered by the Tribal government are provided by locally owned private businesses.

Warm Springs is a community of many festivals and events through the year. Below is a partial listing:

Fun Facts

• The tribes of Warm Springs Confederation were the original inhabitants of Central Oregon
• The tribal government is the 5th largest employer in the region

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