The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians celebrated the return of 43 acres of ancestral land.

The land was among the first piece of property taken from the tribes by the federal government. It was being used for military purposes until 1996, when it was declared surplus.

The tribes sought to reclaim the land but found out that the Bureau of Indian Affairs forgot to file the paperwork. A lawsuit was filed, prompting the General Services Administration to reverse course and return the property.

The tribes plan to use the land for their main government offices. The court, police, administrative, health and education programs will be located there.

Get the Story:
Government returns land to Oregon tribes (AP 10/11)

Relevant Links:
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians - http://www.ctclusi.org

Related Stories:
Oregon tribes to acquire former national guard site (11/24)
BIA forgets to seek surplus property for tribe (7/25)