The Bylas community was named after Chief Bylas, an Eastern White Mountain Apache, Scout, & spiritual leader. He & his family were killed by Victorio near Eagle Creek.
As a young man, Bylas & others chose to stay in the area after the White Mountain Apache were allowed to return to their original homelands. Many White Mountain Apache were forced earlier to relocate to the San Carlos agency due to the U.S. Government policy of centralizing all Apache in Arizona.
The Apache settling in the San Carlos agency continued to live in peace & were allowed to settle in Dewy Flats, then Calva, & into Bylas. There they raised their families, farmed along the Gila River, hunted in the surrounding mountains, & practiced their traditional & spiritual way of life. Many men enlisted for scout duties for the U.S. Army.
Descendants of Chief Bylas still reside in the community. Many of them are veterans of the U.S. Army Forces while others have held the chairmanship & tribal council positions of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
ADOT 2018
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