Spirit Lake Nation slowly buys back reservation

The Spirit Lake Nation is slowly buying back land within its 245,000-acre reservation in North Dakota.

The reservation was established by treaty in 1867 and was immediately subject to allotment. After 100 years, the tribe was down to about 30,000 acres.

But since 1975, the tribe has repurchased about 50,000 acres. The process will stop “When we own it all,” Chairman Myra Pearson told The Grand Forks Herald.

The tribe has had the newly acquired lands placed in trust, which removes the properties from local tax rolls.

Get the Story:
Tribe works to regain lost land (The Grand Forks Herald 7/13)
pwpwd