Red Lake Indian Reservation (Minnesota)

The Red Lake Reservation is a federally-recognized reservation in Minnesota.


 * Established -- 2 October 1863
 * Agency (BIA) -- Chippewa Agency (1851-1873) - Red Lake Agency (1874-1879) - White Earth Agency (1879-1899) - Leech Lake Agency (1899-1906) - Red Lake Agency (1906-?)
 * Principal tribes -- Red Lake and Little Shell Pembina bands of Chippewa's and the Lac Du Bois (Bois Forte) Chippewa's
 * Population -- 2010 census - 5,162

History
The Red Lake Reservation was established by Treaty of Oct. 2, 1863 (XIII, 667); act of Jan. 14,1889 (XXV, 642); agreement, July 8, 1889 (H. R. Ex. Doe. 247, 51st Cong., 1st sess., 27, 32); Executive order, Nov. 21, 1892; Act of Mar. 3, 1903 (XXXIII, 1009), and act of Feb. 20, 1904, ratifying agreement made Mar. 10. 1902 (XXXIII. 46), for sale of 258,152 acres.

Through the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty, the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's retained all unceded land. Instead of honoring treaty agreements, the United States illegally took the unceded land they promised through the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty. Click this

memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S

link, to read the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty text. On the bottom of the page are links. Click the Minnesota 1 link. The Little Shell Pembina land has the numbers 445 (disputed) and 446 (unceded land). The Lac Du Bois Chippewa's (the Bois Forte Chippewa's) land is adjacent to the east where the number 482 is. They also lived north of the Red Lake Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's

The United States wanted to relocate the Chippewa's who lived in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, to one large Reservation in northern Minnesota. In the very early 1850s (1851), negotiations commenced but failed after the United States supposedly refused to ratify the treaty in which the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's ceded 11,000,000 acres in northwestern Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota. History tells that is not the truth. Though the treaty was not accepted, further negotiations continued including in early 1855.

On February 22, 1855, a treaty agreement was agreed upon by certain groups of Chippewa's (not the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's including from Red Lake) which established several small Chippewa Reservations. They include Mille Lac, Rabbit Lake, Gull Lake (the reduced Menominee and Winnebago Chippewa's Reservations), Pokagomin Lake, Sandy Lake, Rice Lake, Cass Lake, Lake Winnebagoshish, and Leech Lake Reservations. On this land cession map of Minnesota, Cass Lake has the number 360, Lake Winnebagoshish has the number 359, and Leech Lake 358. Click this

memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S

link, to read the text of the February 22, 1855 Treaty. On the bottom of the page are links. Click on Minnesota 1. You'll find the Reservations where the numbers 358, 359, 360, 453, 455, 456, and 457 are located. Click on Minnesota 2 to find Mille Lac Reservation. It has the number 454

On May 7, 1864, another treaty was agreed upon which established the large Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation. It is better known as the Leech Lake Reservation. It includes Red Lake Reservation including the Bois Forte (aka Nett Lake Chippewa's). It is no coincidence that 2 days earlier, the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty was proclaimed. Of course, that happened on May 5, 1864. Both the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty and May 7, 1864 Treaty, are the same treaty. It created the large Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation.

American leaders had wanted to relocate the Chippewa's of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, to a large Reservation in northern Minnesota. After the 1862 Minnesota Indian War, Little Shell Pembina Chippewa leaders agreed to accept the creation of the large Reservation in northern Minnesota. It includes Fond Du Lac, Leech Lake, Nett Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Reservations.

After the May 7, 1864 Treaty was formalized, the Chippewa Reservations of Mille Lac, Rabbit Lake, Gull Lake, Pokagomin Lake, Sandy Lake, Rice Lake, Cass Lake, Lake Winnebagoshish, and Leech Lake were eradicated and the new and very large Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation was created.

On March 3, 1873, Little Shell Pembina Chippewa leaders again proved their fidelity by agreeing to adhere to the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty and May 7, 1864 Treaty. Many Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's moved from eastern North Dakota and eastern South Dakota, to the large Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation in northern Minnesota afterwards.

In 1889, the United States conspired to illegally eradicate the large Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation. It was done through the 1889 Nelson Act. Soon after, Chippewa leaders became agitated after learning large numbers of illegal white settlers were settling down on the large Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation. They went about tearing down the forest and killing off wild game. A Chippewa leader commenced to organize for a war. The United States learned about the planned uprising and hired Indians to murder the Chippewa leader.

Chief Bugonaygishig took over after the whites murdered the Chippewa leader who initiated the planned uprising. In 1898, chief Bugonaygishig led the Chippewa's during the Chippewa Rebellion of 1898. In 1898, the United States passed the Curtis Act and another Nelson Act. Both had intentions on Genocide.

In 1898, all Minnesota Reservations had been eradicated, except Red Lake and a small part of White Earth Reservation. After the 1898 Rebellion, the United States returned the Reservations which had been eradicated.

In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act was voted upon. Red Lake Reservation at first rejected the Indian Reorganization Act. They desired to continue on with hereditary chiefs. Another factor was, they held the entire Reservation in common. No individuals owned private land. However, they later accepted the Indian Reorganization Act. It was the policy of the Indian Reorganization Act to halt the allotment of Reservation land to individuals, to Terminate Indian Reservations, and relocate Indians to white communities. Termination commenced on August 18, 1950, when the land the Chippewa's held in common ownership at Hill 57 near Great Falls, Montana, was auctioned off to the highest bidder.

In other words, any Reservation which voted to accept the Indian Reorganization Act, either knew what the intentions of the Indian Reorganization Act were, or they didn't. Reservation leaders did. They knew about the Indian Reorganization Acts real intentions. Those Reservations which did not accept the Indian Reorganization Act are: Turtle Mountain, Chehalis, Coeur d'Alene, Colville, Crow, Crow Creek, Fort Peck, Fort Totten, Hoopa Valley, Jemez, Klamath, Lummi, Navajo, Nez Perce, all Seneca Reservations in New York, Shoalwater, Siletz, Sisseton, Spokane, Umatilla, Wind River, Yakima, and Yurok (Klamath River) Reservations.

Most of the Reservations which refused to accept the Indian Reorganization Act, are in California. There are 44 of them with most being Rancherias. And 41 Rancherias were later Terminated.

Though one of the goals of the Indian Reorganization Act was Termination and relocation, other aspects included constitutions for Reservations, new Reservations, and adding land to Reservations. Within 20 years after the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act was voted on, over 2 million acres was returned to Reservations. However, Termination stole land.

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Communities
Little Rock: 2010 population 1,208. Little Rock is a CDP (Census Designated Place) located in the southern part of Red Lake Reservation. It covers 8 sq. mi. It's location is a little south of Lower Red Lake. On the east, near Blake Lake, Green Lake, and Isle Lake is a cluster of housing units. Many are located along each side of MN-1. About 2.5 miles to the west is the main part of Little Rock. About 1.25 miles to the west is another cluster of housing units. They are located along Reservation Highway 5. About 2/3 of a mile to the northwest is another cluster of housing units located along each side of MN-1.

Ponemah: 2010 population 724. It is a CDP (Census Designated Place). It covers 12 sq. mi. About 1.65 miles north of the main part of Ponemah is a new cluster of housing units. Directly to the south by 1.0 miles, is another area where new housing units have been built. Both clusters of housing units are their own distinct community but classified as being a part of Ponemah.

Red Lake: 2010 population 1,731. It is located in the southern part of the Reservation, a little south of Lower Red Lake. It is a CDP (Census Designated Place). It covers 6 sq. mi. Just to the west and southwest of Thunder Lake, is a new cluster of housing units. Directly south of Thunder Lake is another cluster of new housing units. And another cluster of new housing units is located east and southeast of Thunder Lake. Directly west and south of Balif Lake, is another cluster of new housing units. All these clusters of new housing units, are not connected to each other and to the main part of Red Lake which is located along each side of MN-1. They are each a distinct community but classified as being a part of Red Lake. Many of Red Lakes housing units extend south along the east side of Highway 89. Red Lake is the largest community on Red Lake Reservation. However, it is really made up of four distinct communities.

Redby: 2010 population 1,334. It is located in the eastern part of the Red Lake Reservation. Just south of the southeastern shores of Lower Red Lake. It is a CDP (Census Designated Place). On the east, about 0.8 miles from the main part of Redby, is a new cluster of housing units. It's a distinct community but classified as being a part of Redby. Many of Redby's housing units extend south to near Green Lake.

Fox Lake: It is an area located along each side of Highway 89. It extends from the southern boundary of the CDP of Red Lake, to the southern border of Red Lake Reservation. Though the lake (Fox Lake) is located a bit to the northwest, it's a good name for this distinct community which is a growing community. The southern part of Fox Lake is located a little south of Muerlin Lake. The remaining population of Red Lake Reservation is located mainly at this location.