White Earth Indian Reservation (Minnesota)

White Earth Reservation
It is a federally-recognized reservation in Minnesota.

Established -- March 3, 1873

Agency (BIA) -- White Earth Agency (1872)

Principal tribes -- Chippewa of the Mississippi, Fond Du Lac Chippewa, Gull Lake Chippewa, Menominee Chippewa, Mille Lac Chippewa, Nett Lake (aka Bois Forte) Chippewa, Pembina Chippewa, Pillager Chippewa, Red Lake Chippewa (includes Bois Forte or Nett Lake Chippewa), and Winnebago Chippewa.

Population -- 3,378 (4,055 when including mixed bloods) - 2000 census

History
In the 1860s, the United States conspired to force the Chippewa's of Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin to relocate to one large Reservation in northern Minnesota. They actually first considered the removal in the 1850s. On March 19, 1867, the United States reached their first agreement with a band of Mississippi Chippewa's. However, it would take several more years (March 3, 1873) before Chippewa leaders including chief Little Shell II, agreed to the new vast Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation (aka White Earth Reservation). Originally, the White Earth Reservation included Fond Du Lac, Leech Lake, Nett Lake (aka Bois Forte which is affilitated with Red Lake), and Red Lake Reservations. It covers over 20,000 sq. mi.

On March 3, 1873, a treaty formally set aside the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation. Over the course of the next two decades several thousand Chippewa's relocated to northern Minnesota, from North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Most came up from the old Menominee Chippewa and Winnebago Chippewa (the Menominee and Winnebago are really Pillager Chippewa's) Reservations, located where Alexandria, Little Falls, Long Prairie, and Wadena, Minnesota are.

Those two Chippewa Reservations were set aside in the 1840s but later reduced in size. After the Reservations were reduced, Gull Lake Reservation was left. It was situated adjacent to the northeastern side of the old Winnebago Chippewa's Reservation. The Mille Lac Chippewa's were closely related to the Chippewa's of those Reservations.

Many other Chippewa's from northern Wisconsin and Michigan, also moved to the new large Chippewa Reservation in northern Minnesota. Their numbers were few when compared to the Chippewa's from central Minnesota and the Chippewa's from North Dakota and South Dakota.

After the 1862 Minnesota Indian War, large numbers of Chippewa's fled west out to the plains of eastern North Dakota and northeastern South Dakota. They would dominate the negotiations for the large Reservation. That was accomplished on March 3, 1873. Among them were the Pembina Chippewa's of Red Lake. Along with the Pillager Chippewa's, the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's were the most hostile.

By 1889, the Chippewa population on the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa (aka White Earth Reservation) Reservation, probably exceeded 30,000. Not all the Chippewa's from central Minnesota moved to the new Reservation. They are refered to as the nonremoval. Later, the term "removal" was used to denote the hostile Chippewa's who were forced to move to the Navajo Reservation and other Reservations in the southwest, after the 1898 Rebellion.

In that same year (1889), the Nelson Act was passed and it eventually led to the 1898 Rebellion. The United States never intended to honor the treaty they agreed to on March 3, 1873. In 1898, the United States passed the Curtis Act and another Nelson Act, and that led to war.

Instead of dealing with the Chippewa's on a nation to nation level, the United States illegally allowed all Chippewa men of voting age who lived on the large Chippewa Reservation in northern Minnesota, to vote if they wanted to accept land allotments and have all Reservation surplus land sold to whites. They voted in favor of eradicating the vast Reservation which means the Reservation is still intact because the United States did not negotiate with the government of the Reservation.

In 1898, chief Bugonaygishig led many Chippewa soldiers in a war against the United States. Including women and children, the number of Chippewa's who followed chief Bugonaygishig, was probably over 20,000. After a series of battles, most Chippewa's surrendered but not chief Bugonaygishig and other important Chippewa leaders. Up to 15,000 to 20,000 of the defiant Chippewa's, were captured and probably relocated to the Navajo Reservation, and other Reservations in the southwest.

After the 1899 negotiations in Washington D.C., new but smaller reservations were fragmented from the vast Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation (aka White Earth Reservation) including Fond Du Lac, Leech Lake, Nett Lake (aka Bois Forte), Red Lake, and White Earth Reservations.

White Earth Reservation covers 1,310 sq. mi. Land was allotted which was eventually sold to non Indians. However, during those times most of White Earth Reservation was covered by lakes and a forest. White lumber companies cut down much of the forest but the land was especially covered with lakes during those times. It was unattractive land to white settlers, except the western part of the Reservation. In 1901, the population of White Earth Reservation was 4,719. Since the Reservation had more agriculture land, many more Chippewa's were allotted land at White Earth Reservation.

In 1901, the Indian population of White Earth Reservation was 4,719. In 1920, it was 6,659. In 1930, it was 8,059. In 2000, it was 3,378 but 4,055 when including mixed bloods. White Earth Reservation has endured one of the most dramatic population declines of any Indian Reservation in the United States. That's because the United States violated the White Earth Reservation commencing in 1922. White Earth Indian Agency was abolished that same year (1922).

In the 1889 fraud case, only the extreme northeastern part of what is now White Earth Reservation was left. They termed the land area the Restricted White Earth Reservation. That area is the real White Earth Reservation. However, the United States probably Restricted the entire White Earth Reservation from being opened up to white settlement. That changed in 1922. The dramatic population decline is evidence.

We know at least a part of White Earth Reservation was classified as being Restricted from being settled by non Indians. Maps of Minnesota from 1900-1910 (even some of today) show the northeastern part of White Earth Reservation being excluded. If it's the other way around, the rest of White Earth Reservation is the Reservation land Restricted from being settled by non Indians. It is obviously connected to Red Lake Reservation. Red Lake Reservation is also Restricted from being settled by non Indians. It is stated in the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty, that the Chippewa's will retain all unceded land.

Visit the Library of Congress website to find out more information about Indian land cessions. Click this link memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwss-ilc.html  to visit the Library of Congress website. Click on Browse by State/Territory. Click on Minnesota. Of the 41 treaties, click on number 40. It's from July 8, 1889. On the bottom of the page, you'll see three links to land cession maps of Minnesota. Click on Minnesota (northern portion). The Restricted Reservations are the green color areas.

The pink color area was opened up to white settlement. The blue color area is the unceded land. The United States claims it was ceded but it wasn't. Also click on Minnesota 2. You'll notice on the land cession map that White Earth Reservation is in fact connected to Red Lake Reservation. You'll also notice that Leech Lake Reservation is connected to White Earth Reservation. It has been covered up.

Communities
There are many predominantly Indian communities throughout White Earth Reservation. Nearly all are cdp's (census designated places). A few cities which are about half Indian including mixed bloods and half white, are also located on this Reservation. They include:


 * 1) White Earth (cdp - 2010 population 580)
 * 2) Naytahwaush (cdp - 2010 population 578)
 * 3) Pine Point (cdp - 2010 population 338)
 * 4) Riverland (cdp - 2010 population 276)
 * 5) Rice Lake (cdp - 2010 population 235)
 * 6) Twin Lakes (cdp - 2010 population 149)
 * 7) Elbow Lake (cdp - 2010 population 95)
 * 8) West Roy Lake (cdp - 2010 population 74)
 * 9) Ebro (cdp - 2010 population 64)
 * 10) Pine Bend (cdp - 2010 population 28)
 * 11) Midway (cdp - 2010 population 26)
 * 12) South End (cdp - 2010 population 25)
 * 13) Roy Lake (cdp - 2010 population 12)
 * 14) The Ranch (cdp - 2010 population 9)
 * 15) Waubun (2010 population 400)
 * 16) Callaway (2010 population 234)
 * 17) Ogema (2010 population 184)