Indigenous Peoples of North Dakota

The name North Dakota is from a Sioux word meaning "friend" or "Allies"

About 6,000 American Indians lived in North Dakota in 1910. By 1970 there were over 25,000.

Various field offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs -- superintendencies, agencies, Indian schools, and others --created records of births, marriages, deaths, adoptions, censuses, schools, land allotments, probates, and other miscellaneous records. Many of these records are available only at the originating office, if that office is still operating. Some of the original records have been transferred to the National Archives or to the Central Plains Regional Archives of NARA. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has microfilm copies of some of these records.

= Tribes and Bands of North Dakota =

Arapho, Arikara, Assiniboin, Atsina, Cheyenne, Chippewa, Dakota, Devils Lake Sioux, Hidatsa, Mandan, Ojibway, Santee Sioux, Sisseton Sioux, Teton Sioux, Wahpeton Sioux, Wiciyela Sioux

The Affiliated Tribes: Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara

Reference


 * Hodge, Frederick Webb. Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of Ethonology, Bulletin #30 1907.


 * Swanton, John R. The Indians Tribes of North America. (http://www.accessgenealogy.com ) Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin #145.

= Reservations =

There are five federally-recognized Indian reservations in North Dakota -- the Fort Berthold Reservation in west-central North Dakota, the Lake Traverse Reservation in the southeastern corner of North Dakota, the Spirit Lake Reservation in the east-central part of North Dakota, the Standing Rock Reservation in south-central North Dakota and northern South Dakota, and the Turtle Mountain Reservation in north-central North Dakota, near the Canadian border..

Fort Berthold Reservation (created ______)
The Fort Berthold Reservation is located in west-central North Dakota in ____________ Counties. It originally consisted of ____ acres. Some of the towns located within the reservation include ___________. The tribes on the reservation are known as the Three Affiliated Tribes -- the Hidatsa, Arikara, and Mandan. It is under the jurisdiction of the Fort Berthold Agency.

Lake Traverse Reservation (created ______)
The major portion of the Lake Traverse Reservation is located in South Dakota. A very small corner of it protrudes into southeastern North Dakota in Sargent and Richland Counties.

Spirit Lake Reservation (created 1871)
Originally created in 1871, it originally contained about 230,000 acres and was known as the Devils Lake Reservation. It is located in east-central North Dakota, mostly in Benson County. The reservation was initially under the jurisdiction of the Devils Lake Agency. The name of the agency was changed in 1906 to the Fort Totten Agency, under which it currently operates. The reservation has sometimes been called the Fort Totten Reservation. The major towns within the reservation boundaries are Fort Totten, Harmar, St, Michael, and Warwick. Devils Lake is the closest larger town, but is just off the reservation. The Devils Lake Sioux are actually a part of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Band. They are closely related to the Sisseton in South Dakota and to the Sioux living west of Brandon, Manitoba.

Standing Rock Reservation
Standing Rock Reservation is located in south-central North Dakota and in north-central South Dakota.

Turtle Mountain Reservation
As identified on a map in the National Atlas of the United States of America, the following reservation names in bold are current federally-recognized reservations: Turtle Mountain Reservation - Federal, under jurisdiction of Turtle Mountain Agency, Tribe: Chippewa

Reference


 * Isaacs, Katherine M., Omni Gazetteer of the United States of American. U.S. Data Sourcebook, Volume 11 Appendices, Bureau of Indian Affairs List of American Indian Reservation, Appendix E. Indian Reservations. Omnigraphics. Inc., 1991.

= Agencies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs =

Fort Berthold Agency, P.O. Box 370, New Town, North Dakota 58763

Devils Lake Agency

Grand River Agency

Fort Totten Agency, P.O. Box 270, Fort Totten, North Dakota 58335

Sisseton Agency 1867-1880

Standing Rock Agency - prior to 1875 known as Grand River Agency

Turtle Mountain Agency, P.O. Box 60, Belcourt, North Dakota 58316

Reference


 * Hill, Edward E. The Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-1880:Historical Sketches. Clearwater Publishing Co., Inc., 1974.

= Indian Schools =


 * Bismarck Indian School
 * Fort Totten School
 * Wahpeton Indian School

= Records Depositories =

The primary records holders are the originating offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and of the respective tribes. Some of those records have been transferred to the National Archives or its Regional Archives. Some original and/or microcopied records have been collected by universities, historical societies, museums, and individuals.

Family History Library
Major James McLaughlin Papers 1855-1937 39 films Family History Library 1st film 541380

Central Superintendency 1813-1878 108 films M856 Family History Library 1st film 1602893

Dakota Superintendency 1861-1870 13 films M1016 Family History Library 1st film 1549631

Records of various American Indian tribes are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under NORTH DAKOTA - NATIVE RACES and in the Subject Search under the name of the tribe, such as "Sioux" or "Chippewa."


 * Major James McLaughlin Papers 1855-1937, 39 films 1st film 541380
 * Office of Indian Affairs, Central Superintendency 1813-1878, 108 films 1st film 1602893
 * Datota Superintendency 1861-1870, 13 films M1016 1st film 1549631

See Also:
North Dakota-History for a calendar of events

North Dakota-Military Records for a list of forts