For thousands of years, bands of Wintun people dwelled along the waters of Cache Creek in the shadow of the golden hills that line the Capay Valley. From the creek and the surrounding land, the Wintun people drew nourishment and strength, creating a lasting bond that exists to this day. They lived independently, self-sufficiently and faced life with respect and determination.

In 1769, when the first Spanish colonists arrived, an estimated 310,000 native people were living within California's current boarders. Then came the building of missions and ranchos; the gold miners, loggers and farmers; the clearing of forests, silting of streams, draining of marshes, fencing of grasslands, and the elimination of game.

With no immunity to the diseases carried by white explorers and settlers, the Wintun nearly perished from malaria and smallpox epidemics in the 1800s. The prospectors who flocked to California in the mid-19th century also confiscated lands and enslaved the native Indians who had lived here for generations.

By the beginning of the 20th century, fewer than 20,000 native people were left in the state, and the few Wintun who had survived epidemics, massacres, starvation and forced labor came under the control of the U.S. government. They were placed on reservations scattered throughout the region. In 1907, the Wintun were forced off ancestral lands and placed on a federally created Rancheria—a small residential site in Rumsey.

What followed were years of confusion and degradation. The few remaining members of the Rumsey Tribe lived in poverty and had to carry their drinking and bathing water a distance of three miles. In 1942, the federal government moved the remaining tribal members to a different small parcel. Rancheria and reservation lands were extremely barren, could not support a sustainable population, and they were located far from towns or cities where work was available.

With no economic base, a people who had been proud and independent for thousands of years became wards of the government. Those who chose to remain with the Tribe, to retain their language, their roots, and their culture became more and more dependent on U.S. government aid for survival.

In 1953, the federal government decided to assimilate Indians into American life. The goal was to relocate Indians from tribal lands to the cities. The result was the disappearance of many tribes, and lives of grinding poverty for those who remained. Conditions deteriorated so much that by 1972, only three Wintun Rancherias remained, including the Rumsey Rancheria.

It was then, at the darkest moment, that the tide began to turn. Land held in trust by the government was returned to the Tribe. They returned to the banks of the Cache Creek, and reinvested in tribal language and customs.   When regulations for gaming were relaxed, the Rumsey Band took small cautious steps in bringing the industry to their land. The initial influx of revenue allowed them to gain independence, reacquire tribal lands and focus on education for their children. They regained pride of ownership and returned to a doctrine of bonding with the land and operating as a community. Expansion of tribal rights allowed a corresponding increase in business opportunities, and enabled the growth of the small bingo hall into the world class casino and hotel that opened in 2003.

Today the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians is a recognized sovereign nation, led by an elected Tribal Council, and completely independent of U.S. government aid. In addition to the trust land on which the Cache Creek Casino Resort is located, a separate parcel of land is the site of the master community, which includes homes for adult tribal members and their children, a community center, recreation and cultural areas, and the Yocha-De-He Preparatory School.

The Tribe is an active member of Yolo County and views its economic success as a blessing to be shared, contributing generously to local, state, national and international causes. Carefully planned economic development and diversification has provided a secure future for all members of the Tribe. The Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians has been able to reclaim its role as a steward of the Capay Valley, honoring its proud heritage and leading the way toward a bright future.