FORT BELKNAP RESERVATION

GROS VENTRE AND ASSINIBOINE TRIBES LIVED IN NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND ABOUT 90% ARE IN BLAINE COUNTY. THE ORIGINAL RESIDENTS HAD 690,000 ACRES. IT HAS GLACIAL PLAINS AND GRASSLANDS AND TWO MOUNTAIN RANGES THAT ARE 6000 ACRES IN ELEVATION. THERE ARE ABOUT 6000 FOLKS ON THE RESERVATION AND 1500 OFF. CHIPPEWA CREE LIVE HERE AS WELL. THE POPULATION IS DECREASING AS YOUNG PEOPLE LIVE HERE AS WELL . THEY ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS ELSEWHERE. THE GROS VENTRE WERE IN WASHINGTON WHEN THE ANGLOS ENTERED HERE. THEY WERE OF ALGONQUIN LANGUAGE STOCK. THEIR NAME MEANS BIG BELLY, AS FRENCH TRADERS NAMED THEM. THEY LIVED IN MONTANA AS WELL AS THE DAKOTAS. IN THE DAKOTAS THEY WERE CALLED "WHITE CLAY PEOPLE". THE TWO TRIBES ABOVE STARTED THE BLACKFEET HUNTING TERRITORY SET ASIDE BY FORT LARAMIE TREATY IN 1855. THEIR BOUNDARIES WERE FROM THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER NORTH TO THE CANADIAN BORDER AND TO THE WESTERN PART OF MONTANA. IN 1868 THE FIRST TRADING POST WAS EAST IN DODSON. IN 1921 THE GOVERNMENT GAVE 540,000 ACRES TO ABOUT 1100 INDIANS ON THE FORT BELKNAP RESERVATION IN MONTANA. IN 1888 THE NORTHERN RAILROAD MOVED LIVESTOCK TO THEIR TERRITORY. ABOUT THIS TIME GOLD WAS DISCOVERED IN THE LITTLE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.IN LITTLE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. PEOPLE CAME OUT TO TRY THEIR LUCK IN GOLD DISCOVERY. LANDUSKY AND ZORTMAN BECAME FAMOUS AS TWO TOUGH TOWNS. BY 1896 A PORTION OF THE LITTLE ROCKIES ON THE RESERVATION WAS CEDED TO THE GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO BENEFIT MINING. IN 1976 THEY CREATED A TRIBAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT BY NUTRITION AND FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF SCHOOLS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND A FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM AS WELL. AT FORT BELKNAP THEIR IS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR A TWO YEAR DEGREE IN SCIENCE AND ART, AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. LITTLE EMPLOYMENT IS FOUND ON THE RESERVATION. SOME DO FARMING, RANCHING, AND AGRICULTURE. THEY HAVE FEDERAL SUBSIDIZED PROGRAMS TO ALLOW THE LACK OF EMPLOYMENT. THEY HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO SHARE THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE MILK RIVER. IN 1980S THE BLM AND STATE STARTED A LEACH GOLD MINE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. TWO MINES WERE DEVELOPED AND EPA OPPOSED THE REQUEST BECAUSE THE ACIDE MINE DRAINAGE FLOWED INTO GROUND AND SURFACE WATERS. ONCE AGAIN CYANIDE WAS VERIFIED THE MINES SHUT DOWN IN 1991. THEY HAVE SOME VERY FINE CAMPGROUNDS AND VISITORS NEED A PERMIT TO CAMP HERE. THEY HAVE INDIAN DANCING AND POWWOWS IN LATE JULY WITH A FAIR. CARAVANS OF OTHER TRIBES COME HERE. ON DECEMBER 31 HAS A TRADITIONAL TIME FOR CELEBRATION IN THE LODGEPOLE FOR OVER 110 YEARS. OPI.MT.GOV