Ferdinand Brady photographic postcards of Tulalip Indian School, Washington State, circa 1910

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. government organized a system of Indian education intended to assimilate Indian people into mainstream American society. Native American children were required to reside at boarding or day schools, where they wore western clothing and were forbidden from speaking their native languages. Vocational training, art and music education, and sports were emphasized in the schools, and the buildings and grounds were often maintained by the students.

The Tulalip Indian School was located near Marysville, Washington, on Tulalip Bay. It opened January 23, 1905, with an enrollment of 200 students. School buildings included a clubhouse, offices, separate boys' and girls' dormitories, a hospital, a shop, a laundry facility, and a sawmill. Some of the recreational activities at Tulalip Indian School were canoeing, horseback riding, a marching band, organized sports, and Fourth of July celebrations.

The sawmill at the school served the entire Tulalip community; the sawyer was Snohomish tribe member William Shelton. Lumber was brought from log booms across Tulalip Bay. When the nearby creek was dammed to generate electricity, a powerhouse replaced the mill.