Lewis Goodhouse History
Lewis Goodhouse was one of the original signers in 1968 of the charter that created the United Tribes of North Dakota Development Corporation, which led to the founding of the United Tribes Educational Technical Center (UTETC) as the college was known at its inception.
He was a man of quiet determination who paid attention to human needs.
Lewis Goodhouse was born September 18, 1899 at St. Michael, North Dakota and became a leader of the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe.
His steady influence throughout the 1960’s guided the development of community infrastructure, tribal programs and the tribe’s land base.
He was responsible for changing the tribe’s name from “Fort Totten Tribe,” to “Devils Lake Sioux Tribe.”
Goodhouse was elected tribal chairman in 1957, a time when tribes had little to no power or funding to help advance their development. He served for 12 years.
Under his leadership, tribal government built up the public utilities and infrastructure of its communities and constructed numerous facilities to serve the need for housing, emergency and medical care, law enforcement, and education.
When Congress passed Public Law 280, offering states the option of assuming civil and criminal jurisdiction over tribes, Good house was among a small group of North Dakota tribal leaders who rallied support to protect tribal integrity and sovereignty.
Among his most enduring contributions, Goodhouse was an avid supporter of education. He worked to establish educational programs for tribal members at mainstream colleges and universities. He served as UTETC board chairman.
Lewis Goodhouse passed away in 1982. His Dakota tribal name is Wiyaka Maza, Iron Feather.
