The Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona is celebrating a big expansion of its reservation.

The federal government set aside 85 acres for the tribe in 1972. The tribe quickly outgrew the land but faced expansion problems because the reservation is surrounded on three sides by the Tonto National Forest.

To resolve the issue, the tribe decided to pursue a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service. After 15 years of work, the tribe traded 405 acres for 273 acres of federal land last year.

The tribe acquired an additional 20 acres and asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place the land into trust. On March 5, the application for 293 acres was approved.

“The journey has been a long fight,” Chairman Ivan Smith said in a press release. “Our population has exploded in the last decade and we now have a chance for much-needed housing for our members — not only for this generation, but for future generations.”

The acquisition will more than quadruple the size of the reservation.

Get the Story:
Tribe adds 292 acres (The Payson Roundup 6/1)
Editorial: Tonto Apache Tribe celebrates victory (The Payson Roundup 6/1)