California Treaty B: Camp Keyes, Cah-wai River, 1851 (unratified)
At Camp Keyes in 1851, seven tribes agreed to two tracts and gave up other land claims; the Senate never ratified it.
- Signed
- May 30, 1851
- Senate
- Never ratified
- Land given up
- about 14 million acres
- Land set aside for the nations
- about 787,000 acres
The Senate never ratified this treaty, so under U.S. law it never took effect, even when the government acted on it.
What happened
What happened
On May 30, 1851, at Camp Keyes on the Cah-wai River, commissioner George W. Barbour signed a treaty of peace and friendship with the chiefs, captains and head men of seven tribes. They were the Ko-ya-te, Wo-la-si, Nu-chow-we, Wack-sa-che, Pal-wisha, Po-ken-welle and Ya-wil-chine. Article 3 set apart two tracts to be "forever held for the sole use and occupancy" of the tribes. One began on the Cah-wai River and the other at the northwest end of Tulare or Tache Lake near the mouth of King's River. In Article 4 the tribes would "forever quit claim" to the government to any and all other lands to which they had ever had any claim or title.
Article 5 promised 200 beef cattle and 200 sacks of flour for each of 1851 and 1852. Article 6 promised, after ratification, brood mares, cows and other livestock, tools and clothing. Article 7 promised a farmer, a blacksmith, a wood worker and teachers.
None of it took effect. It was one of 18 treaties made in California in 1851 and 1852. The National Archives' Prologue magazine says the senators found the commissioners' appointments irregular, were unsure whether Mexico had recognized native land title, and heard strong objections from white Californians. The Senate "rejected the treaties and, following Senate rules, imposed an injunction of secrecy on them." With the treaties rejected, Indian title was left unresolved. Prologue adds that Indians of California later sought compensation for lands taken without payment in a case before the Indian Claims Commission. It reports that "the case was decided in favor of the Indians."
Good to know. The treaty text opens with the date May 13, 1851, while its heading gives May 30. Sources give July 2 or July 8, 1852 for the Senate's rejection.
Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error
What the sources say, and how this was checked
Well supported by the sources below.
forever quit claim to the government of the United States to any and all lands
Tribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Ko-ya-te, Wo-a-si, etc., 1851set apart and forever held for the sole use and occupancy of said tribes of Indians
Tribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Ko-ya-te, Wo-a-si, etc., 1851the Senate rejected the treaties and, following Senate rules, imposed an injunction of secrecy on them
National Archives, Prologue: The Secret Treaties With California's Indians (Larisa K. Miller, 2013)The case was decided in favor of the Indians.
National Archives, Prologue: The Secret Treaties With California's Indians (Larisa K. Miller, 2013)
Research notes. Prologue gives July 2, 1852 for the Senate's rejection; OSU cites the Senate Executive Journal of July 8, 1852, so only 'in 1852' is stated. The cited sources do not identify the signers' present-day nations. The treaty text gives no acreage. The treaty text opens by giving the date as May 13, 1851, while its heading gives May 30, 1851; May 30 is used here.
What the treaty did to the land
About 14 million acres given up. about 787,000 acres recognized, kept or set aside for the nations. Each shape is a numbered area in the federal government’s 1899 record of land cessions.
ceded to the United Statesabout 14 million acres
Land of the Ko-ya-te, New-chow-we and others in California, ceded 1851 (area 279)
Land to be given up by the parties to three 1851 treaties (April 29, May 13 and May 30), none of which was ever ratified.
set aside as a reservationabout 566,000 acres
Reservation of the Ko-ya-te, New-chow-we and others in California (area 277)
Set aside as a reservation between the Cah-wia and King's rivers for the Ko-ya-te, Wack-sa-che and other bands by an 1851 treaty that was never ratified; not a cession.
set aside as a reservationabout 222,000 acres
Reservation of the Ko-ya-te, New-chow-we and others in California (area 278)
Set aside as a reservation on King's River for the Ko-ya-te, Wack-sa-che and other bands by an 1851 treaty that was never ratified; not a cession.
What happened next
Everything the record holds about this land and this treaty, in order: what earlier agreements said, what this one did, and what the United States, the courts and the nations did afterwards.
- 1851
This treaty
About 14 million acres ceded to the United States by the Ko-ya-te, New-chow-we and others. About 787,000 acres set aside as a reservation for the Ko-ya-te, New-chow-we and others
At Camp Keyes in 1851, seven tribes agreed to two tracts and gave up other land claims; the Senate never ratified it.
- 1852
Promise broken
California: 18 unratified treaties (1851-52) and the secrecy until 1905
Eighteen 1851-52 treaties promised California tribes reserved land; the Senate rejected them in secret and kept them sealed until 1905.
- 2026
Related history
California goal of 7.5 million acres under tribal stewardship
California's Natural Resources Agency set a goal in March 2026 of at least 7.5 million acres, about 7% of the state, under tribal stewardship.
- 2026
Related history
Mechoopda regain 450 acres in Big Chico Creek watershed
The Mechoopda Tribe reportedly took back about 450 acres beside the Big Chico Creek watershed in June 2026, per one local report.
- Date unknown
Related history
California Tribal Nature-Based Solutions land return program
California's Tribal Nature-Based Solutions program funds tribal land returns; its 2024 awards supported about 38,950 acres.
Who is doing the work today
The nations connected to this treaty come first, then groups returning land and defending treaty rights. Support goes directly to them.
Who is doing the work
This history belongs to living nations. Start with them:
Working with these nations
- Tule River Indian Tribe Nation government 17,030 acres (Yowlumne Hills) with tule elk reintroduction, Oct 2025
Native legal and land defense, nationally
- Native American Rights Fund (NARF) Native-led Litigation and legal advocacy for tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, land and resources Give on their site Website
- NDN Collective (LANDBACK Campaign) Native-led LANDBACK campaign (launched 2020; Mount Rushmore closure and return of Black Hills public lands), Indigenous… Give on their site Website
- Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) Native-led Land recovery and control by tribes and individual Indian landowners Website
- Decolonizing Wealth Project (Indigenous Earth Fund; California Tribal Land Return) Native-led Reparative philanthropy Give on their site Website
Gifts go straight to each organization; this atlas takes nothing. Listing is not endorsement: how organizations are listed.
Sources
Sources
Research notes
Letter A-R follows Heizer (1972) schedule. U.S. commissioner(s): Barbour. Tribal names as printed in Heizer, in 1850s spellings; present-day nation identification needs tribal consultation. Heizer p.9 gives 1851-05-13 but schedule (p.12) and text (p.30) give 1851-05-30. Senate rejected all 18 in secret session 1852-07-08 (Heizer, Mechoopda); Prologue (NARA) article says 1852-07-02. Injunction of secrecy lifted 1905-01-18. Total proposed acreage not stated in Heizer; Mechoopda page says 'more than eight million acres' for all 18 (self-described tribal source).
Shapes are approximate and are not legal descriptions of land, title or jurisdiction.