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HISTORY

The name "Potawatomink" or "Potawaganink" meaning "people of the place of the fire" or "nation of fire" originally applied to the Potawatomi and their close neighbors, the Sauk. The Potawatomi belong to the Algonquin linguistic family and according to tradition they were closely associated with the Chippewa and Ottawa with whom they reached the region about the upper end of Lake Huron. They were reported by the Jesuits as still living together as late as 1841. In 1670 a portion of them were living on the islands at the mouth of Green Bay in the vicinity of the Jesuit mission of St. Francis Xavier. They were moving southward and by the close of the 17th century had established themselves on the Milwaukee River at Chicago and on the St. Joseph River mostly in territory previously held by the Miami. By the beginning of the 19th century they occupied country around the head of Lake Michigan from the Milwaukee River in Wisconsin to the Grand River in Michigan and extending southwest over a large part of northern Illinois, east across Michigan to Lake Eric and south into Indiana. Within this territory they had about 50 villages.

During the French and Indian War the Potawatomi sided actively with the French and were prominent in the uprising under Pontiac. On the breaking out of the American Revolution in 1775 they took up arms against the U.S. and continued hostilities until the treaty of Greenville in 1795. They again took up arms in the British interest in 1812 and made final treaties of peace in 1815.

As white settlement rapidly pressed upon them, they sold their land piecemeal and removed west beyond the Mississippi. A part of those remaining in Indiana until forced out by the military escaped into Canada and are now settled on Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair. Those who went west were settled partly in West Iowa and partly in Kansas. In 1846 they were all united on a reservation in Kansas. In 1861 a large part of the Tribe took land in severalty and became known as the Citizen Potawatomi. In 1868 they moved to a tract in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma) where they now are believed to be well acculturated. The others known as the Prairie Band remained in Kansas except for a few in Wisconsin and the small Huron band in Michigan.

The original reservation in Kansas acquired under the Treaty of June 5 and 17, 1846, consisted of 576,000 acres but this treaty was modified by subsequent treaties and legislation which provided for allotment and for sale of surplus lands. The present reservation is located in Jackson County approximately 20 miles north of Topeka. The population of the Potawatomi never exceeded 3,000. In 1812 is was estimated at 2,500 and in 1843 at 1,800, but the latter does not include the number who fled to Canada.

Today, in Kansas, the Prairie Band of Potawatomi is descended mainly from Indiana, Illinois and Michigan Potawatomi. While there are over 4000 enrolled tribal members, only about 900 live on the reservation.

The Prairie Band reservation is 3 miles south of Horton, Kansas and is 11 miles square. It contains 19,682 acres of allotted land (individually owned) and 2,961 acres of tribal land. The entire reservation is situated in Jackson County.

TRIBAL LAND

COMMUNITY BUILDING

Seven Miles West and ½ mile south of Mayetta, Kansas

LOCATION

The Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indian Reservation is located in the rolling hills of northeast Kansas. It is situated in Jackson County, approximately 17 miles due north of Topeka. The proximity of State Highway 75 provides for good access to the Reservation for economic development but also creates the potential for development conflicts that could be a detriment to the Potawatomi Tribe’s desire to maintain the rural character of the area.

GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY

The Prairie Band of Potawatomi operated under a traditional form of tribal government. A seven-member Tribal Council is elected by the Tribe’s General Council, which consists of all voting age members of the Tribe. The Tribal Council consists of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer and three Council members. The Tribal Council is responsible for adopting tribal laws, regulations, and codes and manages the day-to-day operation of the tribal government.

The Tribal Council is authorized to govern the Reservation under its inherent power as a sovereign body. This power emanates from the Tribe’s Constitution and Bylaws, as approved the Secretary of the Interior on February 19, 1976, as amended August 28, 1985. The constitution details the Tribe’s right of self-government that was authorized by the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Article V of the Tribe’s Constitution and Bylaws enumerates the power of the Tribal Council. These powers specifically include:

(1) To promote and protect the health, peace, morals, education and welfare of the Tribe and its members;

(2) To regulate the use of all lands and property within the jurisdiction of the Band, and to adopt and enforce zoning and land use codes and ordinances;

All tribal environmental programs are operated by the Potawatomi Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA). PEPA is located within the Tribe’s Planning Department. PEPA is responsible for ensuring that the goals, objectives, and strategies of the Environmental Quality Plan are carried out. PEPA presently consists of four employees, a Planning Director and three Environmental Planners.

POPULATION

The Reservation has a mixed population of Indian and non-Indian residents. As of July of 1994, there were approximately 4000 members enrolled in the Tribe. Most of the tribal population lives off the Reservation: with 1062 members living in Kansas (off the Reservation); 1305 members living outside of Kansas; and 1288 members with no current address at the enrollment office. There were 463 tribal members living on the Reservation. The 1990 Census, illustrated in the figure below, indicated the Indian population on the Reservation was 502 persons. This apparent decline in population occurs in part because of the fact that some Indian residents are not members of the Potawatomi Tribe.

The 1990 Census indicated that the non-Indian population on the Reservation was 580 persons. The figure below shows the race distribution of the Reservation population in 1990. The figure indicated that the Indian population was only 46 percent of the total Reservation population. While this share of the total Reservation may seem small, it is much greater than the 6 percent share of the total Jackson County population that the Indian race made up in 1990.

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING

The size of the future Reservation population will depend on a variety of factors; including the economic growth in Jackson and nearby Shawnee counties, the ability of the Tribe of attract its members back to the Reservation, and the Tribe’s success at economic development on the Reservation. Tribal service improvement and land use policies will also impact the growth of population. The improvement of U.S. Highway 75 will make commuting to Topeka easier and possibly increase the demand for Reservation home sites.

HISTORY

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Potawatomi Tribe (the Neshnabek in their native language) was a self-sufficient people. Prior to A.D. 1500, the Tribe lived north of Lakes Huron and Superior. The Potawatomi subsisted by hunting, fishing and gathering wild plant foods. After 1500, the Tribe migrated to what is now the lower Michigan peninsula, settling along Lake Michigan. The Sac, Fox and Kickapoo Tribes helped the Potawatomi to learn to grow their own crops, such as beans, squashes, tobacco, melons, and corn. These crops provided surpluses that created a more secure life for the Tribe.

In the early 1600's, the Europeans came to the lower Michigan peninsula. The Tribe began trading animal furs with the French for ammunition, metal goods, whiskey, tobacco and a few imported goods. This trading ended the Tribe’s self-sufficiency and began its subsequent history of displacement and dependency. The continued use of European technologies gradually destroyed the Indian’s ability to get along without them and made them a captive to rather than a partner in trade.

In the 1650's, the Potawatomi Tribe was forced from their homes in Michigan by the New York Iroquois Tribes. These Tribes were seeking new beaver producing territory to supply the fur trade with the Europeans. The Potawatomi Tribe was driven across Lake Michigan into Wisconsin, near Green Bay, where is prospered. By 1812, the Tribe’s population had increased fivefold to 12,000 and they inhabited the southeast part of Wisconsin, returned to southwest Michigan along the St. Joseph River and occupied portions of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

The Potawatomi Tribe’s primary trading partner and ally was France. Siding with the French against the British in the French and Indian War of 1754 to 1763 cost the Potawatomi Tribe dearly. The British blockade prevented the acquisition of the European trade goods the Tribe had become accustomed to and left the Tribe impoverished by the end of the war.

While the Tribe’s dealings with the French and British had left them impoverished, they still maintained possession of their lands. However, the experience with the new United States was quite different. Even though some groups of Potawatomi fought with the United States in its revolutionary war, the new Tribe believed they had won sovereignty over the lands of the Indians. War with the United States, the dependency on modern technologies, and the declining fur trade all combined to impoverish the Potawatomi Tribe and force it to sell their lands by treaty. These treaties were highly profitable to the trading companies, the federal government, and the States, but a total disaster for the Potawatomi.

The Indian Removal Act of 1830, which called for the removal of all Tribes east of the Mississippi to reservations west of the Mississippi, caused the breakup of the Potawatomi Tribes. Come members fled to Canada, some managed to stay in the east in hiding or on small reservations, and the other 7,000 to 8,000 persons moved to reservations in Missouri and Iowa. A treaty in 1846 force the ceding of 5,000,000 acres in these two states for 576,000 acres of land in Kansas. Tribal population had been reduced to about 3,200 people due to the effects of migration, epidemics, and forced marches.

The pressure for Potawatomi land continued in the 1860s due to the westward expansion of the white population along trails near and through the Reservation. The desire of railroad builders to put a transcontinental railroad through the Potawatomi lands and to acquire that land for resale to white settlers at inflated prices added to the pressure. An 1861 treaty, as amended in 1868, allowed the sale of over half the Reservation for less than one-fourth its free market value. The Mission Band Potawatomi favored the allotment of lands which many soon lost or sold and were rendered homeless paupers.

One group of conservative Potawatomi, now known as the Prairie Band, held out and were granted a small reservation, in 1861, which was owned in common. This Band of about 450 persons lived on their 77,440 acre reservation trying to maintain the traditional way of life. They practiced their old religion, hunted buffalo and attempted to maintain their cultural identity.

Even this small 11 mile square area was too much to let the Potawatomi keep. The General Allotment Act of 1887 provided a method for the federal government to attempt to break up communal ownership of reservation and eliminate tribal organizations. The Prairie Band initially resisted the allotment, under the leadership of an outspoken leader named Wakwaboshkok. However, they were forced to give in when the government withheld federal payments due them and started awarding allotments to whites, Indians from other Tribes, and the agents’ relatives. Within 30 years of the full allotment of the reservation, the Prairie Band Tribe was nearly landless. By 1978, approximately 80% of the land was owned by non-Indians and the Tribe had only 550 dispersed acres in communal ownership.

The Prairie Band survived attempts by the government to eliminate its tribal identity through the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and the 1950s policy of termination. The conservative Prairie Band resisted attempts to be absorbed into the American melting pot. However, in 1967, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs stepped in and the old leaders were cast out, a new constitution approved and new leaders elected by a membership of outsiders, largely marginal to the reservation community.

Today the Potawatomi Tribe now lives in scattered locations from Oklahoma to Ontario, Canada. The Prairie Band still exists as a small but distinct tribal identity. Its Reservation land in communal ownership has increased to 2,940 acres and its population has risen from about 150 members on the Reservation in 1970 to 463 members, as of July 1994. What is to become of the Prairie Band in the future is the subject of this Plan.

LAND

The Potawatomi Reservation consists of 122 square miles of land, roughly an 11 mile square. Land ownership on the Reservation changed drastically after the General Allotment Act of 1887. Prior to the Act, the land was owned in common by the Potawatomi Tribe. While the attempt to destroy the Potawatomi as a Nation failed, the overall desire to dispossess them from their land was a success. The Tribe has begun to reacquire the land and intends to continue this reversal of past federal government policies.

The Tribe currently owns 3,100 acres of land within the reservation. Another 19,824 acres is held as trust land for the Indians by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). These two categories, in aggregate, represent approximately 30% of the reservation land, This percentage understates the impact of Indian land ownership within the reservation due to the checkerboard pattern of ownership. Only 11 sections, or 9% of the reservation have no Indian land on them.

The reservation is drained by two major creeks, with a small section of the northeast portion draining into a third creek, Elk Creek. Big Soldier Creek lies in the western part of the reservation and drains approximately 60 percent of the land (approximately 74 square miles of the reservation). Little Soldier Creek drains the eastern 30 percent of the reservation (approximately 35 square miles). The remaining 12 square miles of the reservation drains east into Elk Creek.

The natural vegetation of the Reservation was predominantly tall grass or bluestem prairie intermixed with riparian woodlands. Prairie grasses consisted of big and little bluestem, switch grass, Indian grass, prairie cordgrass, eastern gamma grass, seediest gram, tall dropped as well as a variety of fords and other grasses. Trees within the riparian strips included willows, cottonwoods, hackberry, elm and oaks (bur, white and red). Oak-hickory woods occurred on slopes next to floodplains and scattered throughout the upland prairie in a savannah condition.

The Potawatomi Tribe was relocated to its Reservation in the mid 1850's. At that time, the Reservation extended southward to the Kansas River. White settlers also began to come into the watershed area north of the Reservation at about this same time. Subsequent forced sale of the majority of the Reservation and the allotment of the remainder in the late 1800's created the environment for an influx of settler. Most of these settlers homesteaded in tracts of 160 acres and practiced general agriculture using very few land conservation practices.

Recent trends have produced declining agricultural populations, a consolidation of land into larger tracts, an increase in absentee ownership of land and the conversion of cultivated lands to grassland. Much of this conversion was the result of government incentive programs and was usually unsuited for sustained cropland use.

The rural character of the Reservation is an important part of the Potawatomi culture and its maintenance is an essential principle of the Tribe’s planning process. At the same time, the need for a strong economic base to provide jobs for the Reservation residents is also recognized. An underlying balance between jobs and maintaining a rural character will be achieved by clustering intensive uses in areas of the reservation that currently have intensive uses and in areas where major transportation links already exist.

Agriculture has been a fundamental part of Potawatomi life since the 1600s and the preservation of agricultural land is critical. Land for crops, hay and pasture must be protected in adequate size parcels to allow for the profitable use of future generations. Conservation practices are necessary to prevent the erosion of the soil and protect the continued productivity of the land.

CLIMATE

National Weather Service records indicated long-term (1929-1981) mean annual rainfall for the area to be 34.85 inches. Extremes for this period were a low of 17.57 inches in 1937 to a high of 59.91 inches in 1973. Greater than 70% of the total annual rainfall occurs during the 183-day growing season, with June being the highest month. The greatest sediment producing storms occur in May and June. Mean temperature for the area is 55 degrees F with a range of -25 degrees F to +120 degrees F.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Tribe has operated a Bingo Hall for several years. In October of 1996, the Tribe remodeled the Bingo Hall to be used as a temporary Casino until a permanent facility is constructed in 1997. These businesses provide income for employees income for the Tribe to supplement money from the federal government. The Tribe intends to use income from these businesses to run an economic development program.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Recreational facilities have been inadequate but this is rapidly changing. For many years the only facilities consisted of a couple small sports fields and a gymnasium located at the O’Ketche-Show-O-Now Center. Construction on a new Community Multi-Purpose Center was finished in 1996. This facility added additional office space, outdoor sports fields, and an outdoor running track.

The Tribe also developed a recreational complex called the Prairie People’s Park. This park is located on M Road and has a buffalo preserve, a small sports field, walkways, and a pow-wow area. The park was completed before the September 1995 gathering of the seven Potawatomi Tribes held on the Prairie Band’s Reservation. This park is now being used for a variety of purposes.

Approximately 200 acres of the park has been developed as a buffalo preserve. This area holds approximately 25 buffalo within a high performance electric fence. Once the herd gets larger than the area can handle, the extra buffalo will either be moved to other tribal lands, sold, or slaughtered for meat. Another possibility is an expansion of the preserve to the east.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

The livability and efficiency of a community cannot simply be measured by the number of homes, jobs and commercial services in that community. Public services and facilities provided by the local government to its citizens are an important indicator of the quality of life within the community. The planning of these services and facilities is important in obtaining and maintaining the goals and objectives that the community wishes to attain.

The Tribe operates a volunteer fire department which provides fire protection service on the Reservation and mutual assistance to off Reservation fire departments when needed. The fire station is located off K Road, between 158th and 150th Streets. This central location provides good access to all parts of the Reservation. Fire department personnel have been called for home and grass fires, auto and home emergencies, and to provide assistance with government surplus equipment that has been converted into fire fighting equipment and a rescue vehicle.

In 1996, the Tribe obtained funding through a U.S. Department of Justice COPS Universal Hiring Program grant to begin development of a tribal police force. The Tribe will work with Jackson County law enforcement officials to develop a police substation on the Reservation. The addition of these officers will increase the safety for all residents of the Reservation by greatly reducing response times for the southern portion of Jackson County and the entire Potawatomi Reservation.

HOUSING

Existing housing on the Reservation falls into two major classifications. One classification is housing developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This housing was built for the Indian population and resembles a typical urban subdivision. There are three cluster type developments, all located in the middle of the Reservation.

Cluster number 1 is located to the east of M Road, just north of 150 Road. This development contains 14 units. These units are privately owned and primarily occupied by the owner. One of the units is in very poor condition and has been condemned. Cluster number 2 is located north of 158 Road, about 1,500 feet east of L Road. This development contains 24 units. These units are privately owned and primarily occupied by the owner. Two of the units are unoccupied and need renovation before occupancy. Cluster number 3 is located east of K Road, about 1,500 feet south of 158 Road. This development contains 14 single-family units and 8 duplex units, which are occupied by senior citizens. These units are rental units owned by the housing authority.

The Housing Authority provides some maintenance on these units and has recently installed new stoves and refrigerators for the rental units. A housing committee determines eligibility for occupancy of the rental units. The Housing Authority also serves 16 units that are scattered around the Reservation.

The other classification of housing is single-family residential units on large tracts, scattered throughout the Reservation. These units are privately owned and mostly occupied by the non-Indian owner.

FUTURE

The Tribe is developing a General Plan to provide a vision for the Potawatomi Nation and develop a strategy to make that vision a reality. That vision of the future of the Potawatomi Nation includes the following elements.

1. An efficient, well-managed governing body with the ability to regulate all persons within the Reservation so as to achieve the goals and objectives of the General Plan.

2. A resurgence in the Potawatomi culture among its members, especially the young, and a growth in pride and self-esteem of the "people of the fire."

3. An increase in the land base of the Nation so that the Reservation becomes theirs in more than name only.

4. A return to the Potawatomi Nation as a self-sufficient people with an adequate standard of living for all its people.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

There are many potential sources of pollution that can degrade surface water quality in the Reservation’s watersheds. Waste water effluent, pesticides, and sediments are the major contributors to surface water pollution. The rural character of the Reservation leads to the proliferation of individual waste water treatment methods. Agricultural production means the use of pesticides. The Tribe is currently making assessments of pesticide use and its effects on surface waters or groundwater.

The Reservation is in one of the most highly erodible parts of the state. Erosion reduces crop yields and increases production costs. Erosion carries away sediments, fertilizers, and pesticides which create pollution problems in surface waters. Control of erosion through soil conservation practices and other methods will be a necessary part of any program to protect the surface waters on the Reservation.

Healthy riparian systems purify water as it moves through the vegetation by removing sediment, and act like a sponge by retaining water in stream banks and groundwater aquifers. Riparian woodlands within the Reservation should be improved to enhance this pollution purifying process. Reforestation projects along the Creeks should be an integral part of any wetlands or wildlife management programs.

The Potawatomi Tribe has adopted codes regarding individual waste water treatment systems. These codes cover the installation of systems, licensing of installers, ongoing operation and maintenance requirements, and public education. The Tribe will examine the pesticide application methods and determine if regulation of pesticide application is necessary.

There are a large number of small private dump sites on the Reservation, primarily located in small tributaries of the Reservation creeks. These sites are not covered and represent a source of water pollution, breeding ground for rodents, a continuing eyesore, and a disgrace to those who want to provide protection to Mother Earth. The Tribe has a small grant from the EPA to clean up these sites. As additional dumpsites are located, they should be added to the list and programmed for cleanup.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Tribe is developing an Environmental Quality Plan to restore damaged areas of the environment and protect Mother Earth. The goals and objectives of this Plan are listed below:

Goal: To work towards the attainment of a pollution-free environment on the Reservation and conserve its natural resources

Objectives

1. To identify significant public health and environmental risks caused by air pollution and radiation on the Reservation and develop programs to reduce those risks.

2. To insure that the residents of the Reservation are protected in event of emergency situations by developing the necessary emergency response system and working with county, state and federal officials to implement the system.

3. To attain a level of water quality that allows for fishing and swimming in all surface waters within the Reservation by controlling all point and non-point pollution sources both within and outside of the Reservation.

A. To develop a complete set of baseline data on the quality of surface water and groundwater within the Reservation.

B. To develop a water quality program that will address point and non-point sources of pollution.

C. To enhance the technical and administrative expertise of the tribal environmental staff through training and instruction.

4. To prevent adverse effects to human health and the environment by insuring that groundwater quality is protected through the control of potential sources of contamination within the Reservation.

A. To protect Reservation groundwater resources from contamination so that they will be available for future generations of Potawatomi people.

5. To ensure that solid waste collection and disposal is not a threat to public health, safety, or ground and surface water resources by controlling solid waste management within the Reservation through the use of regulations, recycling programs, and other appropriate methods.

A. To ensure that an affordable method of waste disposal is provided for all residents int he community and that the costs for collection and disposal are shared equitably by all persons in the community who use such services.

B. To encourage the recycling of solid waste as a resource.

C. To ensure that junk vehicles and equipment are disposed of or stored in a manner that controls physical and visual pollution.

D. To develop a public education program to increase the public's awareness of the need for solid waste management and recycling.

E. To develop solid waste regulations that create an incentive to properly dispose of all types of solid waste.

6. To conserve, enhance, and restore the quantity, quality, and biological diversity of wetlands within the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Reservation.

A. To establish a net gain wetlands policy for tribally-owned lands.

B. To integrate wetlands management with other resource issues on a watershed basis.

C. To assess, characterize, and identify wetlands within the Reservation, including past, present, and potential wetlands.

D. To develop a classification system and water quality standards to protect wetlands functions and values.

E. To provide technical assistance and other incentives to landowners implementing management practices that conserve, enhance, and restore wetlands on private property.

F. To develop information and educational programs on wetlands resources.

G. To identify and prioritize unique or scarce wetlands types and sites for acquisition or special protection.

H. To identify sites for wetlands restoration and enhancement, and to identify and develop funding sources to accomplish this work.

I. To integrate wetlands conservation with the Reservation's floodplain management program and create wetland greenbelt/riparian areas.

7. Manage wildlife population at levels consistent with a healthy environment; to conserve, enhance and protect habitats on public and private lands; and to provide wildlife recreation and hunting opportunities for residents of the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Reservation.

A. To maintain or improve populations and habitats of Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species and Species in Need of Conservation (SINC).

B. To restore populations of wildlife that formerly inhabited the Reservation.

C. To increase population so game animals that are important food sources of the Reservation residents.

D. To increase opportunities for wildlife-related recreation.

E. To coordinate natural resource management practices with habitat protection practices.

F. To acquire lands for the development of tribal wildlife protection areas, such as wetlands, wildlife preserves, and fishing lakes.

8. To encourage the conservation and wise use of soil, water, and related resources through the development of a reservation-wide Resource Management System.

A. To establish a natural resource protection policy for tribally-owned lands that fosters the tribal philosophy of land use and the attainment of tribal goals.

B. To integrate natural resource management with other environmental issues on a watershed basis.

C. To assess, characterize, and identify natural resources within the Reservation.

D. To develop a natural resource classification system that will enable tribal personnel to make comparisons between different properties and assist in the prioritizing of resource management strategies.

E. To provide technical assistance and other incentives to landowners implementing management practices that conserve, enhance, and restore natural resources on private property.

F. To develop information and educational programs on natural resources.

G. To identify and prioritize unique or scarce resource types and sites for acquisition or special protection.

H. To identify sites for natural resource conservation, restoration and enhancement practices; develop land use plans to address problem lands; and to identify funding sources to accomplish the work.

I. To encourage the economic development of tribal resources by maximizing income from tribal lands, promoting long-term opportunities for adult employment, to provide for educational opportunities and seasonal employment for tribal youth.

J. To enhance wildlife habitat, diversity of plants and animals within the reservation, and to foster hunting and fishing opportunities for the Tribe.

K. To reduce soil loss and increase soil fertility.

L. To enhance the quantity and quality of water within the Reservation and protect the water rights of the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Tribe.

 

In 1996, Tribal environmental staff identified abandoned wells that have not been properly closed and are threatening groundwater quality as the major reservation environmental problem which may be hazardous to the health of reservation residents.