Bois Forte Indian Reservation
Bois Forte Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation formed for the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (or Zagaakwaandagowininiwag (Men of the Thick Woods) in the Ojibwe language).
Sections
The reservation is composed of three sections in northern Minnesota, United States:
- The Nett Lake Indian Reservation (Nett Lake, MN. The area of 162.872 sq mi (421.838 km2) surrounds Nett Lake in Koochiching and St. Louis counties. This section comprises Nett Lake, Koochiching County plus Nett Lake, St. Louis County.
- The Deer Creek Indian Reservation, at 47°51′15″N 93°31′52″W / 47.85417°N 93.53111°W, the second-largest section, comprises 35.109 sq mi (90.931 km2) in Effie unorganized territory in Itasca County, just east of the city of Effie. This reservation was originally set aside for the Little Forks Band of Rainy River Saulteaux. Today, as the population have all relocated onto either the Nett Lake or to the Lake Vermilion Indian Reservation, this reservation is kept as a natural resources reserve for the band.
- The smallest section is the Lake Vermilion Indian Reservation (Red ochre"). It consists of 1.623 sq mi (4.205 km2, or 1,039 acres) of land at 47°49′11″N 92°20′07″W / 47.81972°N 92.33528°W in southeastern Greenwood Township on Lake Vermilion just west of the city of Towerin St. Louis County. Set aside by executive order, originally for the Lake Vermilion Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, today this reservation is one of the most accessible reservations for the Band. Consequently, the band operates Fortune Bay Resort Casino, The Wilderness at Fortune Bay golf course, and the Atisokanigamig (Legend House) Heritage Center out of this reservation.
There are additional scattered parcels less than 40 acres (16 ha) in size associated with the reservation. The reservation's total land area is 199.605 sq mi (516.974 km2).
Demographics
As of the
Broken down by reservation subdivision, the Lake Vermilion segment had 402 people, the Nett Lake segment had 344 people, the Deer Creek segment had 163, and there were 75 people on other trust land parcels. The Bois Forte Indian Reservation is a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, who in July 2007, reported 3,052 people enrolled in the Bois Forte Band.
History
The community first entered into a
50% of the reservation is wetland, and the 7,300 acre (30 km2) Nett Lake is said to be the largest producer of wild rice in the United States.
References
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census: Bois Forte Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, MN". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ISSN 0887-3631. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
- ^ Slater, Brady (7 June 2022). "Nett Lake site of historic return of tribal lands". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 16 July 2022.