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The relationship
between the Washakie Indians and the LDS church began to decline
in the 1940’s. After seventy years of close relationship
on the farms at Corinne, Elwood, and Washakie, the number of Shoshone
families began to decline. Many of the younger people became involved
in World War II. Older people found employment in the defense
industries established to support the war effort. After the war,
few, if any moved back, as their opportunities seemed better elsewhere.
Involvement in the Washakie farm declined to the point that on
December 31, 1959, only three Shoshone Indians were working on
the project.
During the summer of 1960 most of the remaining dilapidated homes
of the Shoshone, which appeared to be abandoned but were not,
were burned to the ground in preparation for the sale of the church
farm. Some Shoshone families had possessions in the homes such
as appliances, bedding and personal papers that were burned. This
action resulted in bitter resentments from some Shoshone, who
believed the LDS church had defaulted on a promise that Washakie
and the use of the farm would be there for the Shoshone in perpetuity.
The close relationship with the LDS church, which began in 1874,
ended on November 24, 1960, when the LDS Church sold the Washakie
Farm.
The farm was sold to the Peterson brothers of Roy, Utah, to become
a privately owned, large cattle ranch. In a gesture of compassion
for the Washakie residents, the Northwestern Shoshone Band was
given 184 acres of land purchased by the LDS church in the vicinity
of Washakie from Milton McCrary. This land was donated to the
tribe as trust land to fulfill the federal requirement enabling
residents to receive government aid.
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