Native American roots in the Seattle area go far deeper than simply bearing the name of a once-powerful Suquamish chief.

After all, it was only 164 years ago that Arthur Denny and company landed at Alki Point, founding what was to become Seattle.

By comparison, the ancestors of the Suquamish, Duwamish, Nisqually, Snoqualmie and Muckleshoot tribes that once dominated the region traveled from eastern Siberia across a land bridge to Alaska more than 11,000 years ago, according to

The tribes that once numbered people in the tens of thousands around Puget Sound cultivated a rich culture, all speaking variations of the Lushootseed, or Puget Salish, language, according to Suquamish history.

But it wasn't long after the Denny Party's landing that white settlers began to upset the Native society, first by simply crowding the area and starting the process of stripping natural resources, and then by forcibly removing Natives to reservations, where they were taught to abandon their own culture and language in favor of American, Christian teachings.

One of the photos above even shows a boarding school on the Puyallup reservation where children were separated from family members and taught English and "how to make a living."

Today, many Native people have rekindled bits of their past through artifacts, research and a renewed embrace of the region's true cultural roots. Outside groups, too, have worked to restore and promote Native American culture and history.

The photos above show some early scenes of Native Americans in and around Seattle and then some later scenes as the city grew and the culture changed. Click through to get a glimpse of what you might have seen of Native Americans around the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Daniel DeMay covers business, transportation and Seattle culture for Reach him at 206-448-8362 or Follow him on Twitter: @Daniel_DeMay.