The National Archives facility in Seattle is at risk of being sold, meaning Native American communities may not be able to access records and significant documentation.

Sitting on a 10-acre lot beside Lake Washington, the site is expected to be listed for sale this year.

If sold, the site could see the Native American community disconnected from archived resources which include over 170 million pages of records from federal agencies and courts between 1860 and 2000 regarding Indigenous peoples in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.

The archive is expected to be relocated to Missouri and California, a move not condoned by Native American tribes due to the splitting of records and lack of accessibility.

Associate Professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington and a registered member of the Snohomish Indian Nation, Josh Reid, told The Guardian that the potential move will severely impact Indigenous communities.

"You've still got a number of federally unrecognised tribes that are petitioning for recognition, so this will set their efforts even further back," said A/Professor Reid.

"It's just a staggering loss. I'm really hard-pressed to understand the logic beyond just simple ineptitude on the part of the federal government."

Whilst the National Archives are dedicated to moving all documents online, only three per cent of the archive is currently digital.

Robert Kentta, a council member and cultural resources director for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in Oregon emphasised the lack of accessibility to records concerning Indigenous peoples.

"Our history is contained there, a lot of it. It's documentation of how our reservation was established, how it was reduced, how different parts of it were opened up to non-Indian settlement," said Kentta.

Chair of the Snoqualmie Indian tribe in Washington, Robert de los Angeles, also told The Guardian the decision was concerning.

"We believe the facility should be retained and the records should remain in the area where they may remain readily accessible to Snoqualmie and other tribes," he said.

Whilst Washington State Attorney-General Bob Ferguson will attempt to prevent the sale of the land, it is expected the site will be sold in early 2021.

By Rachael Knowles