Chief Timothy Park is a former U.S. State Park that is now privately owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and is situated on an island between the towns of Lewiston, Idaho, and Clarkston, Washington, with the two cities separated only by the Snake River. The two cities are named for the famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who made their way across the American West in the early 1800s.

The site of Chief Timothy Park was once the home of the Nez Perce Native Americans, who welcomed Lewis and Clark in 1805 during the last stretch of their journey.

Chief Timothy, the park’s namesake, was born in 1808, just shortly after Lewis and Clark’s departure from the region. The Nez Perce Indian, missionary-taught Christian, was very friendly with settlers of the area, and helped to capture those responsible for the Whitman Massacre of 1847, a slaughtering of missionaries by Native American tribes.

Following unrest from an 1855 Treaty relocating natives onto reservations, Timothy assisted Colonel Edward J. Steptoe and his troops to safer grounds after the group of 164 had been attacked and defeated by nearly 1000 Native American warriors.

Timothy died in 1891 on his homestead outside the reservation. Following his death, he was honored for his help leading Steptoe to safety with the 145-acre state park in his name. Today the park functions as a camping and RV resort, as well as a day-use park with many fishing, boating, and hiking opportunities.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Hayley Benton.