The Californer - California and tribal leaders celebrate opening of first phase of California Indian Heritage Center

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Nov 6, 2026

California and tribal leaders celebrate opening of first phase of California Indian Heritage Center

What you need to know: After years of planning and tribal engagement, Phase 1 of the California Indian Heritage Center is now open to the public. Visitors can enjoy an outdoor welcome center that celebrates the living cultures of California Native American tribes as plans for future expansions take shape.

WEST SACRAMENTO – During Native American Heritage Month, the Newsom administration today joins tribal leaders and members of the public to celebrate the official opening of Phase 1 of the California Indian Heritage Center (CIHC). Once completed, the center will serve as a statewide hub for cultural preservation, education, and exchange.

Almost eight years ago, this same land was the site of the first formal apology to tribes on behalf of the state, and since then, we have ensured that apology went deeper than just words. This ribbon cutting marks a significant chapter in the long relationship between the state and California Native peoples — and the next chapter promises to keep building on the strong partnership we've built together.

Governor Gavin Newsom

Located on a 51-acre property at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers in West Sacramento, the welcome center is the project's first publicly accessible phase and features a large interpretive shade structure, seating areas, gathering spaces, trails, walkways, and interpretive exhibits. The site was also where the Governor issued a formal apology in 2019 for the state's role in the historic atrocities committed against Native Americans.

"The California Indian Heritage Center represents an important step toward honoring the histories, cultures and living traditions of California's Native peoples," said Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Chairman Anthony Roberts. "For the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, seeing this vision take shape on our ancestral Patwin homeland carries especially deep meaning for my people. We are proud to celebrate this milestone and grateful to everyone whose dedication has helped bring us here."

"Just as Tribal Nations are central to California's identity, the California Indian Heritage Center is central to shaping the future of Tribal-state relations," said Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango. "It creates a place to share our traditions, languages, and stories, connect Native communities, and let visitors learn about the living cultures that have shaped California for generations. We are proud to be part of this effort and of the progress made alongside Tribal nations over the last eight years. We look forward to seeing this vision continue to take shape."

"Today's ribbon cutting is the culmination of decades of hope, adaptability, and effort by generations of California Native people and partners who have worked tirelessly to realize a place that honors all California tribal communities," said Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari. "As we look forward to the full buildout of the California Indian Heritage Center in coming years, the new welcome area creates a beautiful entry point to exploring these lands and waters as well as learning more about the first people of this place in a way that embraces Native and non-Native Californians alike."

About the California Indian Heritage Center

The Center is a long-envisioned project designed to promote land stewardship rooted in Native American values while providing a space for visitors from all over the world to learn about and celebrate the vibrant living cultures of California's tribal communities.

Since California committed $100 million to the project in the Governor's 2018-19 budget and authorized an additional $100 million through fundraising, the CIHC Task Force has conducted extensive outreach with tribal communities across California. This engagement has helped ensure that the project's vision, design, and programming reflect the diverse voices, histories, and traditions of California Native peoples, which was also celebrated at the groundbreaking in April.

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"The opening of the Welcome Center of the California Indian Heritage Center marks an important milestone in our efforts to honor California's first people and preserve their cultures and traditions for generations to come," said Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. "Thanks to years of dedication from Tribal leaders, the City of West Sacramento, and our state partners, we are bringing this long-held vision to life. I look forward to continuing our work to create a place where Tribal communities can share their stories on their own terms and all Californians can learn from their rich history and living traditions."

"It was my great honor to be a part of the team to move this unique and beautiful Center forward," said Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino). "This site allows for and encourages the First People to gather, to share our history and culture, and to teach a more complete and truthful history of California's Native Americans. My bill, AB 1592, signed by Gov. Newsom, authorizes the California Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with the Heritage Support Center Organization to support the ongoing development of this historic and deeply meaningful project."

"The opening of the California Indian Heritage Center Welcome Center is an important moment for the tribal communities who have worked for years to bring this vision to life," said West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero. "West Sacramento is honored to be part of this milestone and to welcome a space dedicated to sharing California Native history, culture, and traditions. We look forward to seeing the Center continue to grow and to the opportunities it will create for future generations."

"For generations, California's tribal communities have carried their history through storytelling, passed down from elders who kept these traditions alive when no one else would," said District 2 Councilmember Quirina Orozco. "Today, West Sacramento becomes home to a place where those stories will be told by the people who lived them, in their own words. This Welcome Center is a first step, and it's a powerful one. We owe it to the elders and tribal leaders who never stopped fighting for it, and we are honored to stand with them for this incredible milestone."

"Today marks a historic milestone in California's commitment to honor tribal sovereignty, history, and culture," said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. "The California Indian Heritage Center is a place for tribes, by tribes, where Native peoples can celebrate, share stories, and pass on traditions to future generations. Under Governor Newsom's leadership, we're returning ancestral lands, supporting tribal stewardship, and strengthening partnerships with Tribes to build a future where we all thrive together."

"Opening the first phase of the California Indian Heritage Center (CIHC) is literally a welcoming act to what will be a place for the indigenous people of California to tell the stories of the first nations of what we know today as California," said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. "It will be a gateway to the ancient cultures who are still with us today and provide a deeper connection and belonging for all who visit the CIHC."

The CIHC welcome center parking area will be open to visitors Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission for California tribal members is free, and public parking is $6.

For updates on the project, visit caindianheritagecenter.org.

Strengthened partnerships

Under the Newsom administration, strengthened partnerships between tribes and the state have produced outcomes, to name a few:

Created a California Truth & Healing Council to understand and share the experience of all California Native Americans, with a report and recommendations coming this year;
Supported the return of almost 40,000 acres of ancestral land to tribes;
Created a landmark Tribal Stewardship Policy, which sets the goal to expand tribal stewardship for at least 7.5 million acres of land and coastal waters;
Established a $100 million grant program to support tribally-led nature-based solutions;
Completed the largest removal of a dam in U.S. history and restoration of 400 miles of the Klamath River for the benefit of salmon, tribes, and the communities of the basin;
Significantly increased cultural burning through agreements between tribes and the California Natural Resources Agency — the Karuk Tribe was the first to enter into such an agreement;
Created the Feather Alert notification system for missing Native people throughout the state;
As part of the California Jobs First initiative, awarded $15 million in grants to support tribal projects aimed at spurring economic growth, providing job training, cultivating business development, protecting the environment, and conducting research and development;
Created a new California Broadband Action Plan that explicitly included tribal lands in all broadband access and adoption opportunities — earlier this year, the Bishop Paiute Tribe became the first customer of California's Middle-Mile Broadband Network;
And released the Native American Studies Model Curriculum, developed in collaboration with California tribes, Native scholars, educators, and community leaders.

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