Fond du Lac Indian Reservation
Encyclopedia
The Fond du Lac Indian Reservation (or Nah-Gah-Chi-Wa-Nong (Nagaajiwanaang in the Double Vowel orthography), meaning "Where the current is blocked" in the Ojibwe language
) is an Indian reservation
in northern Minnesota
near Cloquet
in Carlton
and St. Louis
counties, with off-reservation holdings in Douglas County in Wisconsin
. The total land area of these tribal lands is 153.8375 sq mi (398.437 km²). It is the land-base for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
. Before the establishment of this reservation, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
were located at the head of Lake Superior
, closer to the mouth of the St. Louis River
.
The tribe ceded land as part of an 1837 treaty along with other Ojibwa bands, located mainly from east-central Minnesota to north-central Wisconsin. Later, along with other Ojibwa tribes, the Fond du Lac Band ceded large tracts of land located mainly in the Lake Superior watershed in Wisconsin and western Upper Peninsula of Michigan as part of a treaty in 1842
. In addition, the tribe ceded land as part of an 1854 treaty
with the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa (largely situated along the northern shore of Lake Superior
in Minnesota
). With this treaty, the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation was established farther up the St. Louis River at its present location. The original Nagaajiwanaang Reservation was 1.25 times the current size. However, the treaty discussions clearly promised the inclusion of the Perch and Big Lakes but the original reservation did not, but instead extended westward to the western boundaries of the 1854 Ceded Territory. With an appeal, the Reservation was extended southward to include the two said lakes, but as a concession, the western boundaries were shortened eastward to its present location.
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
) is an Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in northern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
near Cloquet
Cloquet, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,201 people, 4,636 households, and 2,967 families residing in the city. The population density was 317.9 people per square mile . There were 4,805 housing units at an average density of 136.4 per square mile...
in Carlton
Carlton County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,671 people, 12,064 households, and 8,408 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 13,721 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
and St. Louis
St. Louis County, Minnesota
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 200,226. Its county seat is Duluth. It is the largest county by total area in Minnesota, and the second largest in the United States east of the Mississippi River; in land area alone, after Aroostook...
counties, with off-reservation holdings in Douglas County in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The total land area of these tribal lands is 153.8375 sq mi (398.437 km²). It is the land-base for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is an Anishinaabe band located near Cloquet, Minnesota. Their land-base is the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation , located mainly in Carlton and St...
. Before the establishment of this reservation, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
were located at the head of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, closer to the mouth of the St. Louis River
Saint Louis River
The St. Louis River is a river in the U.S. states of Minnesota and Wisconsin that flows into Lake Superior. The largest U.S. river to flow into the lake, it is 179 miles in length and starts near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The river's watershed is in area...
.
The tribe ceded land as part of an 1837 treaty along with other Ojibwa bands, located mainly from east-central Minnesota to north-central Wisconsin. Later, along with other Ojibwa tribes, the Fond du Lac Band ceded large tracts of land located mainly in the Lake Superior watershed in Wisconsin and western Upper Peninsula of Michigan as part of a treaty in 1842
Treaty of La Pointe
The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe Native American peoples...
. In addition, the tribe ceded land as part of an 1854 treaty
Treaty of La Pointe
The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe Native American peoples...
with the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa (largely situated along the northern shore of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
). With this treaty, the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation was established farther up the St. Louis River at its present location. The original Nagaajiwanaang Reservation was 1.25 times the current size. However, the treaty discussions clearly promised the inclusion of the Perch and Big Lakes but the original reservation did not, but instead extended westward to the western boundaries of the 1854 Ceded Territory. With an appeal, the Reservation was extended southward to include the two said lakes, but as a concession, the western boundaries were shortened eastward to its present location.
External links
- Fond du Lac Reservation
- 2000 US Census Tract Map for the Fond du Lac Reservation (T1125)
- Digital copy of the 1854 Treaty establishing the Fond du Lac Reservation
- Digital copy of the letter requesting to modify the Fond du Lac Reservation
- Digital copy of the Executive Order modifying the Fond du Lac Reservation