PLACERVILLE, CA – The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians celebrated a land into trust acquisition with a signing ceremony at the Shingle Springs Rancheria. The placement of land into trust, one of the BIA’s most crucial functions, establishes tribal jurisdiction and strengthens sovereignty.
The acquired land in Sutter County, commonly known as Verona, was originally one of the tribe’s ancestral Nisenan villages called Wóllok. The tribe purchased this piece of its homeland in 2020.
“As descendants of the original Nisenan and Miwok peoples of the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Foothills, our roots to these lands run deep,” said Tribal Chairwoman Regina Cuellar.
The tribe’s history in the region spans generations, surviving significant historical challenges including the epidemics of the early 1800s, the establishment of the Sutter Land Grant and Fort (1839-1849), and the Gold Rush beginning in 1848. Following these disruptions, the tribe’s families re-established themselves in Sacramento and at Wóllok, the land now placed into trust.
“Our tribe received its first federal recognition in 1916 following a census of our ancestors living in both Sacramento and Verona,” said Chairwoman Cuellar. “By 1920, the U.S. government acquired undeveloped land in El Dorado County intended for our relocation.”
Since then, the tribe has flourished in El Dorado County, developing successful economic ventures including Red Hawk Resort + Casino, the Shingle Springs Health & Wellness Center, and Red Hawk Travel Center. The enterprises have enabled the expansion of governmental services, including new tribal housing, fire and police departments, a tribal court and the state’s first joint-jurisdiction court.
“While our tribal government has been headquartered in Shingle Springs since 1976, our membership has always been and will always be connected to the land of our ancestors,” said Chairwoman Cuellar. “By establishing these physical spaces and returning them to tribal stewardship, we are creating opportunities for meaningful community engagement while preserving our cultural practices and traditions that will strengthen our tribe’s foundation for generations to come.”
