Te-Moak Tribal Government
The Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada serves as a coalition government representing four distinct Shoshone Bands: the Battle Mountain Colony, Elko Colony, Wells Colony, and the South Fork Reservation. The Tribal Headquarters is located in Elko, Nevada.
The Te-Moak Tribal Council exercises overall jurisdiction over its Bands and all tribal lands, while the Bands retain limited authority over local matters and maintain sovereignty over their internal affairs through their own governing councils. Tribal elections are held every three years.
The Tribe’s Constitution and By-Laws were adopted and approved in 1938 under the Indian Reorganization Act and later amended in 1982.
Battle Mountain Band Colony
The Battle Mountain Colony is located on the west side of the town of Battle Mountain, Nevada, consisting of two separate parcels of land totaling 683.3 acres. The original 677.05-acre colony was established by Executive Order on June 18, 1917 for Shoshone people living near Winnemucca and Battle Mountain. An Act of Congress on August 21, 1967 added an additional 6.25 acres to the colony’s lands.
Elko Band Colony
The Elko Colony lies in the high desert of northeastern Nevada near the Humboldt River, encompassing 192.80 noncontiguous acres adjacent to the city of Elko, the county seat of Elko County, Nevada. The colony was established by Executive Order on March 25, 1918, reserving 160 acres for Shoshone and Paiute Indians living near the town of Elko. Today, 192.8 acres remain in federal trust. Reno, Nevada, is located approximately 289 miles southeast along U.S. Interstate 80.
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South Fork Band Reservation
The South Fork Band Reservation covers approximately 13,050 acres in northeastern Nevada, located 28 miles south of Elko. Set in rugged high-desert terrain, the reservation lies just west of the Humboldt National Forest and in the foothills of the Ruby Mountains. It was established by Executive Order in 1941 under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Initial land purchases between 1937 and 1939, totaling 9,500 acres, formed the foundation of the reservation’s land base, which later expanded to its current size through subsequent acquisitions.
Wells Band Colony
The Wells Colony is located in the high desert of northeastern Nevada, just west of the city of Wells in Elko County. The area’s main population center, Elko, is approximately 45 miles southwest of the colony via Interstate 80. The Wells Colony was established by an Act of Congress on October 15, 1977. The Wells Band of Western Shoshone holds 80 acres of federal trust land.
Te-Moak Tribe Housing Authority
The Te-Moak Housing Authority (TMHA), located in Elko, Nevada, is the Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE) for the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians. Its primary mission is to construct, manage, and maintain safe, affordable housing for eligible tribal members while promoting self-sufficiency and improving quality of life. TMHA administers housing programs funded under federal laws such as NAHASDA and provides rental, homeownership, and housing assistance opportunities across the Te-Moak communities, including Elko, Battle Mountain, Wells, and South Fork. The Housing Authority operates under the direction of a Board of Commissioners and works to ensure that tribal members have access to decent, safe, and sanitary housing in accordance with HUD and tribal regulations. (te-moakhousingauthority.com)