Northern California’s rugged coastline has long drawn visitors to its dramatic bluffs and quiet shores. For the Coast Yuki people and allied Pomo lineages, one stretch of that shoreline carries far deeper meaning as the location of an ancestral village and burial ground. A recent deed transfer has placed 55 hectares of the site back under Indigenous control for the first time in modern records.
From State Highway Agency to Tribal Stewardship
The California Department of Transportation held the parcel for decades as part of its right-of-way responsibilities. On July 6 the agency recorded the transfer of the 136-acre property to Kai Poma, a nonprofit formed by the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the Round Valley Indian Tribes, the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, and the Ancestral Descendants of Coastal Yuki and Yuki. The move marks the first documented return of Caltrans-owned land to Indigenous ownership. The site lies just south of Westport, roughly 300 kilometers north of San Francisco. Travelers have long known the beach as Blues Beach. Tribal records identify the village location above the bluffs as K’etim, a place central to traditional stories of the coastline’s creation.
Stories That Define the Landscape
According to accounts preserved by the descendant communities, K’etim is where Seaweed Woman, who lived at nearby Mussel Rock, met and fell in love with Coyote. That narrative explains both the physical formation of the shore and the enduring connection between the people and the land. The presence of ancestral burials adds another layer of responsibility for those now charged with its care. Eddie Knight, chairman of Kai Poma and historic preservation officer for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, has spoken of the long-held certainty that the land remained theirs despite changes in legal title. “We always felt this was ours,” he noted. “It may have been owned privately by somebody, but we still knew it was ours.”
Practical Steps After the Transfer
Kai Poma now holds legal title and must determine how best to protect the village site and burials while allowing appropriate access. The organization’s founding tribes bring distinct but overlapping interests in cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and future use of the coastline. Early priorities are expected to focus on documentation, site monitoring, and coordination with state and local agencies on adjacent lands. The transfer also sets a precedent that other transportation agencies may examine. Similar parcels elsewhere in California remain under state or federal control, and the Westport example offers a concrete model for how title can shift without lengthy litigation. – Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians
– Round Valley Indian Tribes
– Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians
– Ancestral Descendants of Coastal Yuki and Yuki
What Changes for the Coast
Day-to-day management of the beach itself is unlikely to shift dramatically for casual visitors in the near term. The larger change lies in decision-making authority and the ability of descendant communities to shape long-term plans for the land. Protection of cultural resources now rests directly with the people whose ancestors lived and were buried there. The return underscores a broader pattern of land transfers occurring across the United States, yet each case carries its own local history and practical consequences. For the communities connected to K’etim, the July deed closes one chapter and opens the next phase of stewardship on their own terms.
