"The Minnesota Historical Society, its state appropriation slashed by $4.3 million, worked out a deal turning over the museum and its 242-acre site to the Lower Sioux tribe. The tribe donated $85,000 to keeping it open last year and agreed to take it over. The proposed forfeit of a unique and important piece of the state's historic patrimony was bad enough, but then politics got involved. The Legislature wouldn't OK the transfer until lawmakers added a provision giving Redwood County and a township veto power over the deal.

The county, predictably, voted 4-1 against the deal last week. Some say county folks don't like the idea of the Indians getting more land to add to the 1,743-acre reservation. Others say folks just don't like the idea of Indians getting more. Period.

'We had a plan to keep [the museum] open,' said tribal chairwoman Ann Larsen. 'But they don't want us to do it.'"

Get the Story:
Nick Coleman: Indian museum out of business (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 6/30)
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Relevant Links:
Lower Sioux Agency Historic Site - http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/lsa

Related Stories:
Historic federal agency won't be returned to tribe (06/23)