A Cultural History of the Upper Skagit: Indigenous Presence (e1)

Here’s the first episode in our series on the Cultural History of the Upper Skagit Valley in the North Cascades. This series of videos are based on a lesson in which Mountain School students imagine traveling back in time to meet historical figures relevant to the area around the Environmental Learning Center. We teach cultural history so that students have a fuller understanding of human interaction with this landscape and to recognize the variety of ways people from different backgrounds connect to a place like this. We hope students will see themselves in these people and these stories and think about the ways that they connect to the places and communities in which they live. The series was created by our instructors Jillian Ross, Imara White, Alexa Brandy and Kari Paustian during the pandemic as a way to reach people at home and support online learning. Find more information on the indigenous presence in the North Cascades and other episodes in our ACHOTUS video series on our blog at