White Earth Indian Reservation (Minnesota)

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


 * Established -- 19 March 1867 - March 3, 1873


 * Agency (BIA) --


 * Principal tribes -- Chippewa of the Mississippi, Pembina, Pilager Chippewa, and Dakota


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

History
The White Earth Reservation was established by Treaty of Mar. 19, 1867 (XVI, 719); Executive orders, Mar. 18, 1879, and July 13, 1883; act of Jan. 14, 1889 (XXV, 642). See agreement of July 29, 1889 (H. R. Ex. Doc. 247. 51st Cong., 1st less., 34, 36).

On March 3, 1873, a Reservation within the White Earth Reservation was set aside for the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's (aka Turtle Mountain Chippewa's) which covered one township or over 23,000 acres. Today, it is known as Pembina Township. The city of Mahnomen is located within Pembina Township, as is the Indian community of Riverland. It was one of the first forced relocations of the Chippewa's from North Dakota and South Dakota, to the White Earth Reservation. After the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's were forced to sell their allotments in the western part of the Reservation, many of the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's moved east to Naytahwaush, PIne Bend, and White Earth. More about the forced relocations is below.

After the Reservation was established, the United States increased the effort to have all Minnesota Chippewa Reservations eradicated. They originally wanted to relocate all Chippewa's and Dakota's from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to the White Earth Reservation.The Reservation originally covered over 1,300 sq. mi. It now covers 1,093 sq. mi. In 1887, the United States passed the Dawes Act.

Then in 1889 they passed the Nelson Act. It was the Nelson Act which brought ruin to the promised Reservation. The Nelson Act forced many of Minnesota's Chippewa's and Dakota's to relocate to the White Earth Reservation. Though the Dakota did not originally sign the treaty to live on this Reservation, years later they were forced to relocate to the White Earth Reservation. After the forced relocation, the United States then eradicated nearly all of the White Earth Reservation, except a tiny part of the northeast portion of the promised Reservation.

In 1898, chief Bugonaygishig led a rebellion in northern Minnesota which eventually led to the United States returning the promised Reservations. However, the damage had already been done. At the White Earth Reservation, the whites had torn down the vast forest and forced the Chippewa's and Dakota's to accept land allotments which were eventually sold to non Indians. After the 1898 Rebellion, the whites replanted trees across the central and eastern part of this Reservation. The White Earth Reservation is not entirely owned by the whites however. State forests cover much of the Reservation, and countless lakes are also found within the Reservations borders. The western part of the Reservation has a larger white population than Indian. The central and eastern part of the Reservation is where the Chippewa's and Dakota's primarily live.

About half of the Reservation has land not suitable for agriculture. The State of Minnesota and Federal Government of the United States, own much of the Reservations forests and certain other areas. However, that land is actually owned by the Reservation through treaty agreements. "Minnesota Indian Reservations," Handbook of Indians North of Mexico, by Frederick Webb Hodge Available online.

Communities
Throughout the White Earth Reservation are numerous settlements. Some are predominantly non Indian. The most important Chippewa community is White Earth. The predominantly Chippewa communities are mainly found in the central and eastern part of the Reservation. Most are cdp's (census designated places). Most are predominantly Indian. The cities are each about half Indian including mixed bloods and non Indian. They are the following:


 * 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)

Records
Allotment,Hinton Roll, Case files and Indian faffidavits of the Linnen and Moorhead investigations, 1909. FHL film: 1294074 first film. *Gilfillan, J. A., et al. Joseph A. Gilfillan and Family Papers. 1872. Correspondence, articles, translations, and miscellany concerning Gilfillan's work as a Protestant Episcopal missionary on the White Earth Indian Reservation (1872-1898) and his study of Ojibwe language and culture.