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
This Reservation has an historical past which is very difficult to understand. Leech Lake Reservation and Red Lake Reservation, are involved. 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 (they were from Gull Lake). 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 Leech Lake and Red Lake Reservations (Nett Lake aka Bois Forte included because of an affilitation with Red Lake Reservation). Fond Du Lac Reservation is probably included as well.

We have to first detail the May 7, 1864 Treaty. That treaty involved the Chippewa of the Mississippi, and Pillager and Lake Winnebagoshish (the Winnebago) Chippewa's. It eradicated six Chippewa Reservations to the south. They are: Mille Lac; Sandy Lake; Rabbit Lake; Pokagomin Lake; Rice Lake; and Gull Lake Reservations. Gull Lake (Gull Lake Reservation was the reduced Menominee and Winnebago Chippewa's Reservations it was situated adjacent to) was the most important. Rabbit Lake Reservation was a few miles east of Gull Lake Reservation. The Menominee and Winnebago Chippewa's of Gull Lake Reservation, were the first Chippewa's to settle at White Earth Reservation in 1868. They were one of the more numerous groups of Chippewa's who moved to White Earth Reservation.

Leech Lake Reservation was also set aside with the treaty of May 7, 1864. Click this link memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwss-ilc.html  to visit the Library of Congress websites Indian land cessions. Visit the website to find the correct Leech Lake Reservation. Click on Browse by date. Click on 1864. Then click on May 7, 1864. That page has a link to a map of the correct Leech Lake Reservation. Click on Minnesota 2. It is the page with the correct map of the Leech Lake Reservation. It is connected to White Earth Reservation through Upper Rice Lake. Both Leech Lake and White Earth Reservations are connected to Red Lake Reservation. Red Lake Reservation really covers the yellow area (number 446) on the Minnesota 1 land cession map. It is the unceded land the Chippewa's reatined through the October 2, 1863 Old Crossing Treaty.

On March 3, 1873, a treaty formally set aside the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa Reservation (aka White Earth Reservation). Historians claim one township (over 23,000 acres) was set aside within White Earth Reservation for the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's who are also known as the Turtle Mountain Chippewa's. That is incorrect. 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 may have came up from the old Menominee Chippewa and Winnebago Chippewa (the Menominee and Winnebago are really Pillager Chippewa's) Reservations (Gull Lake Reservation), located where Alexandria, Little Falls, Long Prairie, and Wadena, Minnesota are. Or the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's were the most numerous. We have convincing evidence the Little Shell Pembina Chippewa's were in fact the most numerous.

Those two Chippewa Reservations (the Menominee and Winnebago 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.

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 referred 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.

Actually the population of 4,719 is incorrect. Only 62 of the 870 Mille Lac Chippewa's had relocated to White Earth Reservation. That changed after the Act of Congress of May 27, 1902. Chippewa's from Mille Lac were paid $40,000 for relocating to White Earth Reservation. Most of the 808 Chippewa's who remained in the Mille Lac region, moved to White Earth Reservation sooon after. However, not all actually moved to White Earth Reservation. Many continued to live near Mille Lac.

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. At the Chippewa Hill 57 Rancheria or Colony, the population was over 400 in 1956. Today, it is probably less than 20. The population declined at White Earth Reservation 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. 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.

In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act was voted on. At White Earth Reservation, the Indian citizens voted in favor of the Indian Reorganization Act. They did so not knowning about the true intentions of the Indian Reorganization Act. A constitution was among the Acts goals, as were the end of allotments, and to purchase new land. Over 2 million acres was purchased for Reservations within 20 years after the Indian Reorganization Act. However, the Indian Reorganization Act also had goals of Terminating Indian Reservations and relocating Indians to white communities.

That is probably the main reason why the Indian population of White Earth Reservation declined so dramatically. An example of the population decline can be found at the White Earth Reservation CDP (census designated place) of Pine Point. Before World War II, Pine Point had a population of near 1,500. Today, it is 338. Between 1901 and 1930, the Indian population of White Earth Reservation nearly doubled. From 4,719 it increased to 8,059, between 1901 and 1930. That's nearly a 75% population increase every 30 years. Something was keeping the Chippewa's at White Earth Reservation.

At Pine Ridge Reservation, the population increased from 6,456 to 8,370, between 1901 and 1930. That's a 30% population increase every 30 years. By 1960, Pine Ridge Reservation should have had an Indian population near 12,800. By 1990, the Indian population of Pine Ridge Reservation should have been over 16,000. By 2014, the Indian population of Pine Ridge Reservation should have been near 20,000. Using google earths historical imagery, you can clearly see little has changed at Pine Ridge Reservation over the past 20 years.

Using those figures, the population of White Earth Reservation should have increased by near 75% each 30 year period. Considering that, by 1960 the Indian population of White Earth Reservation should have been near 14,000. By 1990, the Indian population of White Earth Reservation should have been near 24,000. By 2014, the Indian population of White Earth Reservation should have been near 40,000. Using google earths historical imagery, you can see a lot has changed at White Earth Reservation since 1991.

So it's obvious the real intentions of the Indian Reorganization Act, was to relocate Indians from Reservations to white communities. Indian Reservations should have much larger Indian populations than they currently do. Many claim Pine Ridge Reservation has an Indian population of near 30,000. However, little has changed at Pine Ridge Reservation over the past 20 years.

And White Earth Reservation does in fact have an Indian population of near 4,000. Crime rates are higher at Leech Lake and Red Lake Reservations. That's because both Leech Lake and Red Lake Reservations, have much larger Indian populations than White Earth Reservation does.

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. And there are many other predominantly Indian tiny settlements which have yet to be classified as either a cdp or city, town, or village. The number of settlements may number near 50. However, most have less than 30 housing units. In fact, many have less than 20. And many have 10 or fewer housing units. The White Earth Reservation cdp's and towns 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)