Dr. Clinton Pattea, 2004 Inductee (1931-2013)
As a young boy in a home with dirt floors, no running water or electricity at Fort McDowell, Dr. Pattea committed himself to improving the lives of his people. He received his degree from Arizona State College-Flagstaff (now NAU) and worked in banking and with the Arizona Commission on Indian Affairs. Elected to the Tribal Council in 1960, he served most of the next 40 years including more than 15 years as president. He actively opposed construction of Orme Dam, which would have flooded tribal land and cost them their Verde River water rights. He was successful in obtaining a water rights settlement with the U. S. government and negotiated a settlement with the federal government , which attempted to close the tribe’s gaming center in the early 1990s. With gaming revenues and under his leadership, the tribe created new housing and business ventures as well as a new school, medical clinic and recreation center.
