Niobrara Reservation facts for kids

The Niobrara Reservation was a special area of land in northeast Nebraska. It was set aside for two Native American tribes, the Santee Sioux and the Ponca. Both tribes spoke languages from the Siouan family. This land was located near where the Niobrara River flows into the Missouri River.

In the late 1800s, the United States government built a boarding school on the reservation. This school was for Native American children in the area. By 1908, after land was divided into smaller plots for families (under the Dawes Act), some land was kept for tribal services. About 1,130 acres (4.57 km²) were saved for the Santee Sioux Reservation's agency, school, and mission. The nearby Ponca Reservation had 160 acres (0.65 km²) for its agency and school buildings.

The Santee Sioux People

In 1884, a man named John Lenger helped create an all-Indian brass band on the Niobrara Reservation. This group was called the Santee Sioux Band.

Santee Sioux Band's Performances

The band showed off the musical talent of the Santee people. It also helped their white neighbors see them in a good way. The band, led by Lenger, played at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. They also performed at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha in 1898. They even gave a special performance for President Benjamin Harrison.

Life on the Reservation for the Santee

In 1890, a government agent named Reuben Sears described the land. He said it was not very good for farming without extra water. He thought about half the land might grow a small crop. The other half was only good for grazing animals. It would take about 10 acres to feed one steer. There was not a lot of timber, just enough for fuel and fence posts.

The Santee and Flandreau Agency had 869 Native American people at that time. The Santee were known for raising ponies and horses. They lived in log or frame houses with barns. However, they did not like to keep milk cows or pigs. The Santee were good at music and carpentry. They also continued their traditions of moving between summer and winter homes. They also liked to gather together. Sears concluded that the Santee were mostly able to support themselves, even though their reservation was quite dry.

Santee History and Relocation

Sears noticed that the Santee would stop talking if asked about their tribal history or religious beliefs. It is easy to understand why they did not want to talk about their past. Memories of the Dakota War of 1862 were still very clear. After the war, many Sioux people faced great hardship.

For example, some Sioux were imprisoned at Camp McClellan, where many became sick and died. Some survivors were sent to Nebraska. Also, about 300 women, children, and older men died at a camp near Fort Snelling, Minnesota. This was due to very poor living conditions. In May 1863, Dakota survivors were forced onto steamboats. They were moved to the Crow Creek Reservation, which was suffering from a drought. Three years later, many of these survivors moved to the Niobrara Reservation.

The Ponca People

The Ponca people on the reservation numbered about 217. They raised cattle and pigs. Unlike the Santee, they were willing to talk about their history and religion. They lived in small frame houses. They had enough rainfall and well water to keep their farms well-maintained.

1930s Archaeological Survey

In the 1930s, a study of ancient sites began on the Ponca/Niobrara Reservation. This was south of the Niobrara River and Lynch, Nebraska.

Discovering Ancient Villages

The University of Nebraska and the Smithsonian Institution worked together. They wanted to find and protect prehistoric artifacts before farming destroyed them. The team dug up an ancient Ponca village. Ten workers on the project were paid by the Works Progress Administration. This was a program during the Great Depression under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The project aimed to find, identify, and protect old resources.

Ponca Village Homes

The Ponca village had large, round homes. Some were up to sixty feet (18 meters) across. Their homes stretched for almost two miles (3 km) along the south bank of the Niobrara River.

Niobrara Island was part of the original reservation.