{{About|the 19th-century Indian Reservation|the current tribe and rancheria|Smith River Rancheria}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} '''Smith River Reservation''' was an Indian reservation on the Smith River, set aside April 9, 1862 by the Department of Indian Affairs to replace the Klamath River Reservation that had been destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862 and as a reservation for the Tolowa people.<ref name="Report">[https://books.google.com/books?id=cdkRAAAAYAAJ&dq=smith+river+indian+reservation&pg=PA312 Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Office of Indian Affairs],</ref>{{rp|312}}

Camp Lincoln was built nearby to replace Fort Ter-Waw, which also had been severely damaged in the flood. Camp Lincoln was built to protect the American citizens in the vicinity of Crescent City from the native people. However, it was moved on September 11, 1862, by Major James F. Curtis to a location six miles north of the city in a clearing in a forest of redwoods near the reservation. This was done to protect the reservation Indians from the citizens.

In September, 1862, over 800 of the native people captured in the Bald Hills War were sent to the Reservation. The garrison was given the additional task of preventing them from escaping and returning to the Bald Hills and Eel River country. However, they were not very successful in that task; hundreds of these native people escaped that Fall.<ref>[http://www.militarymuseum.org/CpLincoln.html Historic California Posts: Camp Lincoln (Long's Camp, Fort Long, Lincoln's Fort, Fort Lincoln)]</ref> The Smith River Reservation was discontinued by act of Congress on July 28, 1868.<ref name="Report"/>{{rp|312}}

==See also== * Mendocino Indian Reservation * Nome Cult Farm * Sebastian Indian Reservation * Tule River Farm

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Indian reservations in California}} {{Del Norte County, California}} {{authority control}}

Category:1862 establishments in California Category:Former Native American populated places in California Category:Former settlements in Del Norte County, California Category:American Indian reservations in California Smith River Reservation Category:Former American Indian reservations

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