The White Mountain Apache Tribe now consists of approximately 15,000 members. School continues to serve as a middle school, under the administration of a school board selected by the Tribal Council. First intended to serve Diné (Navajo) children, by the 1930s a majority of students at the school were Apache. In 1923 the site became the home of the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Theodore Roosevelt Indian Boarding School. The post was designated Fort Apache in 1879. Over the course of the next year, the remaining troops at Camp Goodwin moved to the site, and the camp would be renamed Camp Mogollon, then Camp Thomas, and finally, Camp Apache. The following spring troops from the 21st Infantry and 1st Cavalry were ordered to establish "a camp on the White Mountain River. Also a good supply depot for Scouting expeditions from other posts, and in fact, I believe, would do more to end the Apache War than anything else.
It would make a good scouting post, being adjacent to hostile bands on either side. It would stop their traffic in corn with the hostile tribes, they could not plant an acre of ground without our permission as we know every spot of it. This post would be of the greatest advantage for the following reasons: It would compel the White Mountain Indians to live on their reservation or be driven from their beautiful country which they almost worship. There is also plenty of limestone within a reasonable distance. Building material of fine pine timber is available within eight miles of this site. It seems as though this one corner of Arizona were almost its garden spot, the beauty of its scenery, the fertility of its soil and facilities for irrigation are not surpassed by any place that ever came under my observation.
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The climate is delicious, and said by the Indians to be perfectly healthy, free from all malaria. I have selected a site for a military post on the White Mountain River which is the finest I ever saw. They agreed to the creation of a military post and reservation, and directed Green to the confluence of the East and North Forks of the White River: Green returned to the White Mountains in November, and met again with the Apache leaders Escapa (Miguel), Eskininla (Diablo), Pedro, and Eskiltesela. When Captain Barry arrived at Miguel's village, however, he found white flags "flying from every hut and from every prominent point," and "the men, women and children came out to meet them and went to work at once to cut corn for their horses, and showed such a spirit of delight at meeting them that the officers if they had fired upon them they would have been guilty of cold-blooded murder." Possible to exterminate the whole village.” Green sent Captain John Barry, urging him “if Escapa-an Apache chief that the Anglos called Miguel-visited the camp, and invited Col.
Seeking to kill or capture any Apache people they encountered, the expedition headed north up the San Carlos River, across the Black River, and to the White River in the vicinity of the future site of Fort Apache.Īrmy scouts reported finding over 100 acres of cornfields along the White River. 1st Cavalry led a scouting expedition of more than 120 troops into the White Mountains area from Camp Goodwin and Camp Grant to the south. In July 1869 Brevet Colonel (Major) John Green of the U.S. Army came to our lands, our people knew much more about them than they did about us. When the United States took control of New Mexico during the Mexican-American War, some of our leaders went to Santa Fe to meet with those authorities. They traveled widely, trading and raiding throughout the region and deep into Mexico. They hunted deer and other game and collected abundant wild plant foods. They farmed, growing corn, sunflowers, beans, squash, and other foods. When Europeans began to visit our lands, our people lived in family groups and bands, with homes and farms along all of the major watercourses: the East Fork and North Fork of the White River, on Cedar Creek, Carrizo Creek, Cibecue Creek, Oak Creek, and others. Though there are differences in language, history, and culture, we are also related to the other Apache nations: theĬhiricahua, Mescalero, Jicarrilla, Lipan, and Kiowa-Apache peoples. We are Western Apache, closely related to the people of San Carlos, Payson, and Camp Verde. There are many different nations of Apache people. In this land our ancestors learned to be Ndee-The People-and we have learned from them. We were placed here under the White Mountain by our Creator at the beginning. This land that is now the White Mountain Apache Reservation
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