Puget Sound Rains Uncover Native American Skeletal Remains

COUPEVILLE, WA - Recent heavy rains in Puget Sound uncovered skeletal remains of Native Americans, according to the Island County Sheriff's Office. The remains were discovered by people walking along the beach near Ebey's Landing on Christmas.

Swinomish Tribal Chairman Brian Cladoosby told KING 5 the remains could be thousands of years old.

"The importance of bringing those remains back home is of vital importance not only to our families who lost loved ones in way, but for us to be able to bring these ancestors home and intern them in our cemetery is very important for us," Cladoosby told KING 5.

The sheriff's office advised anyone who finds skeletal remains to contact police. Disturbing or removing the remains is a felony. The state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation has been notified of the recent Whidbey Island discovery.

Today, the Swinomish tribe is based on a reservation on Fidalgo Island near La Conner. But beginning as early as 1300, the Swinomish and Skagit people lived across the San Juan Islands, plus Whidbey and Camano islands. Ebey's Landing is a National Historic Preserve overseen by the National Parks Service (technically, it's closed due to the partial federal government shutdown).

Image via YouTube/KING 5