Spirit Lake Tribe
Encyclopedia
The Spirit Lake Tribe is a Sioux
tribe. Its reservation
is located in east-central North Dakota
on the southern shores of Devils Lake. Established in 1867 in a treaty between Sisseton Wahpeton
Bands and the United States government, the reservation, at 47°54′38"N 98°53′01"W, consists of 1,283.777 km² (495.669 sq mi) of land area primarily in Benson County
and Eddy County
. Smaller areas extend into Ramsey
, Wells
and Nelson
counties.
According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs
in 2005, there were 6,677 enrolled members of the tribe. At the time of the U.S. 2000 census
, 4,435 members were living on the reservation but slightly more than 6,000 are estimated to live there currently. The unemployment rate was 47.3% in 2000. The largest community on the reservation is Fort Totten
.
The tribe operates the Spirit Lake Casino. Formerly, the tribe owned two smaller casinos, which were closed in 1996 to make way for the larger facility. The reservation also contains the attractions of the Sullys Hill National Game Preserve
and the Fort Totten State Historic Site
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It operates a tribal college
, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
.
The relative isolation of the reservation from population centers adversely affects its economy. Privately owned businesses on the reservation are few. They include such small, local operations as Paul's Grocery. Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc., had more than one million dollars in federal contracts in 2006, and is the only private company providing professional and technical employment. Wireless access is difficult to acquire.
Fort Totten is the reservation's economic and government center. The tribal administration, tribal college and Spirit Lake Consulting offices are located in the community. The tribe's Vocational Rehabilitation program works to assist tribal members in finding employment.
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
tribe. Its 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...
is located in east-central North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
on the southern shores of Devils Lake. Established in 1867 in a treaty between Sisseton Wahpeton
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
Bands and the United States government, the reservation, at 47°54′38"N 98°53′01"W, consists of 1,283.777 km² (495.669 sq mi) of land area primarily in Benson County
Benson County, North Dakota
-Major highways:* U.S. Highway 2* U.S. Highway 281* North Dakota Highway 19* North Dakota Highway 20* North Dakota Highway 57-National protected areas:*Pleasant Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Silver Lake National Wildlife Refuge...
and Eddy County
Eddy County, North Dakota
-Major highways:* U.S. Highway 281*North Dakota Highway 15*North Dakota Highway 20-Eddy County Road 14:Eddy County Road 14 is a north-south County Road in North Dakota...
. Smaller areas extend into Ramsey
Ramsey County, North Dakota
-National protected area:*Lake Alice National Wildlife Refuge *Silver Lake National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,066 people, 4,957 households, and 3,187 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were...
, Wells
Wells County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,102 people, 2,215 households, and 1,453 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,643 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
and Nelson
Nelson County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Johnson Lake National Wildlife Refuge *Lambs Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Rose Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Stump Lake National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
counties.
According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
in 2005, there were 6,677 enrolled members of the tribe. At the time of the U.S. 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, 4,435 members were living on the reservation but slightly more than 6,000 are estimated to live there currently. The unemployment rate was 47.3% in 2000. The largest community on the reservation is Fort Totten
Fort Totten, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 952 people, 230 households, and 200 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 124.2 people per square mile . There were 255 housing units at an average density of 33.3/sq mi . The racial makeup of the CDP was 0.84% White, 0.11% African...
.
The tribe operates the Spirit Lake Casino. Formerly, the tribe owned two smaller casinos, which were closed in 1996 to make way for the larger facility. The reservation also contains the attractions of the Sullys Hill National Game Preserve
Sullys Hill National Game Preserve
Sullys Hill National Game Preserve is a National Wildlife Refuge located on the shore of Devil's Lake in Benson County, North Dakota, within the lands of the Spirit Lake Tribe...
and the Fort Totten State Historic Site
Fort Totten State Historic Site
-History:Established on July 17, 1867, the fort was first built to watch over the surrounding Indian Reservation after a group of the Sioux tribe moved to the area after 1867. The soldiers were stationed to enforce the peace and guard transportation routes. The fort was decommissioned in 1890...
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It operates a tribal college
Tribal colleges and universities
Tribal colleges and universities are a category of higher education, minority-serving institutions in the United States. The educational institutions are distinguished by being controlled and operated by Native American tribes; they have become part of American Indians' institution-building in...
, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Cankdeska Cikana Community College is a tribal college in Fort Totten, North Dakota, on the Spirit Lake Reservation. The college is named after Paul "Little Hoop" Yankton, a Dakota man who fought and died in World War II....
.
Communities
- Fort TottenFort Totten, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 952 people, 230 households, and 200 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 124.2 people per square mile . There were 255 housing units at an average density of 33.3/sq mi . The racial makeup of the CDP was 0.84% White, 0.11% African...
- Saint Michael
- TokioTokio, North DakotaTokio is an unincorporated community in southeastern Benson County, North Dakota, United States, on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. It lies southeast of the city of Minnewaukan, the county seat of Benson County. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of...
- Crow Hill
- Wood Lake
The relative isolation of the reservation from population centers adversely affects its economy. Privately owned businesses on the reservation are few. They include such small, local operations as Paul's Grocery. Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc., had more than one million dollars in federal contracts in 2006, and is the only private company providing professional and technical employment. Wireless access is difficult to acquire.
Fort Totten is the reservation's economic and government center. The tribal administration, tribal college and Spirit Lake Consulting offices are located in the community. The tribe's Vocational Rehabilitation program works to assist tribal members in finding employment.