US Indian Reservations Index

Most Populous Indian Reservations, 2000

Sioux Reservations:
All reservation except where noted were established in 1887, 1888, or 1889.
• Minnesota
• Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Reservation
• Home to about 300 Indians, and tribal member ship is about 150.
• Lower Sioux Community
500 tribal members
• Prairie Island Sioux Reservation
• Is also Mdewakanton Sioux and home to approximately 400.
• Upper Sioux Community
• Home to the Mdewakanton, Sisseton And Santee Sioux with approximately 350 tribal members.
• Montana
• Fort Peck Reservation
• Established for the Assinboine tribe when members of the Sioux nation sought refugee from the U. S. Cavalry. The Fort Peck agency was directed to treat them as residents so it has been that way ever since. Sometimes referred to as the Assinboine Sioux.
• Nebraska
• Santee Sioux Reservation
• Established in 1863
• tribal enrollment is approximately 2,200 with 500 members living on the reservation.
• North Dakota
• Devils Lake Sioux Reservation
• Established in 1867.
• Population is about 3,800.
• Standing Rock Reservation
• Extends mainly into South Dakota. See South Dakota Reservations.
• South Dakota
• Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation
• 10,800 deriving from four major bands
• Minnecojou
• Big Foot was a Minnecoujou chief who was killed under a white flag of truce at Wounded Knee.
• Sans Arc
• Blackfoot
• Two Kettle
• Arvol Looking Horse is the current keeper of the Sacred Pipe of the Great Sioux nation presented by the White Buffalo Calf Woman.
• Crow Creek Sioux Reservation
• One of the three parcels of land retained after the Treaty of Fort Laramie.
• 3,000 enrolled members of the tribe.
• People:
• Oscar Howe was a pioneer in Indian arts and was born there in 1915.
• Flandreau Santee Sioux Reservation
• Established in 1934.
• About 700 members.
• People:
• Chief Little Crow was was the head of the Santee band and became a chief around 1834. He led the fight now know as the Minnesota Santee Conflict. It started after the federal government failed to present payment for land as promised. He died the following year.
• (Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe of) Lake Traverse Reservation
• Established in 1867.
• Tribal enrollment is about 9,300.
• Some authorities believe that the Siseton and Wahpetoan were two of the original Seven Council Fires. The "Oceti-Sakowin" included the following:
1. Mdewakantonwan, Spirit Lake People
2. Wahpekute, Shooters among the Leaves
3. Sisseton, People of the Fish Ground (Sisseton)
4. Wahpetonwan, Dwellers among the Leaves (Wahpeton)
5. Ihanktonwana, Little Dwellers of the End (Yanktonais)
6. Ihanktonwan, Dwellers of the End (village)(Yankton)
7. Tetonwan, Dwellers on the Plains (Teton)
• Lower Brule Reservation
• About 1,900 enrolled members of which about 1,000 members live on the Reservation.
• People:
• Chief Iron Nation (1815-1894) signed the treaty to establish the reservation in 1868. He led the Lower Brule Sioux through difficult years and worked to ensure the survival of his people.
• Pine Ridge Reservation
• Home of the Oglala Lakota Nation.
• Tribal enrollment estimated at 28,000 with about 20,500 living on the reservation.
• People:
• Red Cloud was a respected warrior and diplomat from 1866-1868. He successfully led the fight to close the Bozeman trail that passed through prime buffalo hunting grounds. Once established at Pine Ridge he worked to establish a school for Indian children ran by the Jesuit.
• Billy Mills, the Olympic gold medal winner in Tokyo in 1964 was the first American to ever win the 10,000 meter race and was a Oglala Sioux.
• Rosebud Reservation
• Part of the Teton division of the Sioux
• Enrollment stands at over 15,500.
• People
• Ben Reifle a five-term U. S. Member of Congress was born on the Rosebud reservation in 1906.He worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and received a doctoral degree from Harvard University.
• White Eagle is the first American Indian to sing lead in American musical theater and opera.
• Yankton Reservation
• Established in 1858.
• Original territory spread over 400,000 acres. Reservation only amounting to 37,000 acres
• Were deeded land and exclusive rights to the Red Pipestone Quarry by the treaty of 1858, lost in later negotiations.