Wind River Indian Reservation (Wyoming)

The Wind River Indian Reservation is a federally-recognized reservation, located in west-central (Fremont and Hot Springs Counties) Wyoming.


 * Established -- 1868
 * Agency (BIA) -- Wind River Indian Agency located at Fort Washakie, Wyoming
 * Principal tribes -- Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone
 * Population -- 7,798 Arapaho and Shoshone but 8,807 when including mixed bloods (2010 census). Total Reservation population 26,490 (2010 census) 1969: Tribal enrollment 4,594

History
In 1868, the war being fought in northeastern Wyoming, southeastern Montana, southern Idaho, southwestern Montana, and western Wyoming was negotiated to a peaceful end. In southern Idaho, southwestern Montana, and western Wyoming, the war is known as the Snake River War. In northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana, it is known as Red Clouds War. Both conflicts were the same war. On July 3, 1868 a treaty was signed which ended the Snake River War and established the Wind River Reservation. The Shoshone settled down to live on the large Reservation but the Arapaho continued to resist ceding land. They continued to fight the invading whites up to 1878, when they were forced to relocate to the Wind River Reservation.

Originally, the Reservation was considerably larger but the United States refused to honor treaty agreements. Through srupulous dealings, the United States used Reservation leaders to reduce the size of the large Reservation. Arapaho leaders strongly opposed ceding Reservation land, while Ute leaders fell easy to the land acts. The land cession agreement of 1904 led to the Arapaho murdering leader George Terry, who signed the land cession agreement.

The August 15, 1906 Land Act
On August 15, 1906, by President Roosevelts Proclamation, Wind River Reservation lost 1.5 million acres. To this day, leaders of Wind River Reservation claim they did not cede the 1.5 million acres. And present day maps confirm that the United States agrees. The 1.5 million acres is located north of Big Wind River or Wind River. All Indian settlements are located within the 1,200 sq. mi. or 768,000 acres that remained after the 1.5 million acres was illegally ceded. It is south of Big Wind River or Wind River. Riverton is located within the 1.5 million acres that was illegally ceded.

Once Chippewa leaders learned about the loss of their Reservation, they reacted by following prophecy. They always had the tendecy to follow prophecy. Commencing in the spring or early summer of 1916, the commenced an exodus off the Reservation. They were going back to Montana. To understand this we have to research the events that happened in 1896.

The 1896 Great Falls Deportations
In June of 1896, the United States forced several hundred if not several thousand Chippewas living in the Great Falls, Montana region and north central Montana, to leave for other locations. Many were sent to Alberta and Saskatchewan, while most were sent to the Blackfeet Reservation and Flathead Reservation. Many were also sent to Leech Lake Reservation and Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota, and Bad River Reservation and Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation in Wisconsin. And many were sent to the Wind River Reservation of Wyoming.

In newspapers, they referred to the Chippewas being relocated or deported, as being Cree. The whites did that as a result of the Seven Fires Prophecy. The Cree are the northern Chippewa people known as the Muskegowalk which means Swamp or Swampy People. In 1896, the Great Falls region and the rest of north central Montana, still had a very large Chippewa population. Thus, the reason why the United States relocated them.

Brief Timeline
A.D. 1851

The Fort Laramie Treaty established the territories of the various tribes under Algonquin subjugation. The area where the Wind River Reservation is located is within the territory of the Gros Ventre (the Crow who are an admixture of Algonquin and Lakota) who are a sub-tribe of the Algonquin's and are the northern most Arapahoes. In North Dakota, the Crow are known as the Hidatsa. The Hidatsa Tribe are also known as the Gros Ventre. The Gros Ventre are Algonquin.

A.D. 1868

On July 3, 1868 the Fort Bridger Treaty ended the Snake River War and set aside the Wind RIver Reservation for the Arapaho and other Indians who agreed to live there.

A.D. 1872

Through a probable shady deal the Brunot Cession further corrupted the tribes living on the Wind River Reservation. Arapaho leaders did not agree to cede the land.

A.D. 1897

An agreement is reached with the Arapaho in which Arapaho leaders agreed to set aside a 10 sq. mi. area for a tribal park. It is known as the Big Horn Hot Springs State Park. The United States did not honor the agreement with the Arapaho. The park is managed by the State of Wyoming. The corrupted actions of the United States angered Arapaho leaders.

A.D. 1904

An agreement was reached with non Arapaho leaders in which the Reservation was significantly reduced in size. The leader who signed the agreement was murdered by the Arapaho. The 1904 Wind RIver Reservation Land Act coincides with the United States ratifying the infamous Chippewa 10 cent an acre treaty, or the 1892 McCumber Agreement.

Tribal Headquarters
Northern Arapaho Tribe 

533 Ethete Road

Ethete, Wyoming, 82520

Shoshone Tribe 

P.O. Box 158

Fort Washakie, Wyoming 82514

Records
Many of the records of individual Indians living on the Wind River Reservation were kept by the Wind River Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Others are kept by the Tribal Office.

Land records: Tribal land: 1,776,136 acres. Allotted land 109,344 acres

Web Sites
Wind River Reservation -- description and history

www.northernarapaho.com/

www.shoshoneindian.com/wind_river_reservation.htm

www.windriverhistory.org/archives/treaty_docs/docs/1904-agreement.pdf