Sandy Lake, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sandy Lake
Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag
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 Sandy Lake
Location in Minnesota
Sandy Lake
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Aitkin |
| Township | Turner Township |
| Elevation | 1,230 ft (370 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
55760
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| Area code(s) | 218 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2419129 |
Sandy Lake is a small community in Minnesota, United States. It's not a city or town with its own government, but rather an unincorporated community. This means it's part of a larger area called Turner Township in Aitkin County.
The name Sandy Lake comes from the Ojibwe language, where it's called Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag. This means "Place of the Sandy-shored Lake," which describes the nearby Big Sandy Lake. Sandy Lake is an important place for the Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa. It serves as their main center, even though the larger Mille Lacs Indian Reservation, District II, has its offices in nearby East Lake.
Contents
History of Sandy Lake
Early Life and Trade
For a long time, the Ojibwe people lived around Sandy Lake. They moved around with the seasons, living along the shores of Big Sandy Lake. They also used the Savanna Portage, which was a path connecting different waterways.
This area was perfect for trading goods. People also hunted, fished, and gathered food and medicines. They collected other important materials from nature.
The Sandy Lake Tragedy
In 1850, a sad event happened at Sandy Lake. The United States government was supposed to give payments, called annuities, to the Ojibwe people. These payments were part of agreements made between the government and Native American tribes.
However, the government planned things very poorly. Many Ojibwe people traveled a long way to get their payments. They arrived in late fall, and the payments were delayed. This caused a terrible situation known as the Sandy Lake Tragedy. Over 300 people who had come to the community died because of sickness and lack of supplies.
Establishing the Reservation
In 1855, the Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag Ishkonigan, which means Sandy Lake Indian Reservation, was officially created. This happened under a special agreement called the Treaty of Washington. This treaty set up several reservations for different groups of Ojibwe people.
During the Dakota War of 1862, the Sandy Lake Band members chose to stay neutral. This meant they did not take sides in the conflict. Because of this, they were not forced to move away from their homes.
Challenges and Reclaiming Land
Even though they weren't forced to move, many Sandy Lake Band members felt pressure to leave. Some moved to the White Oak Point Indian Reservation. Over time, fewer people remained at Sandy Lake.
Later, laws like the Nelson Act led to the illegal sale of reservation lands. This caused the Sandy Lake Reservation to disappear from maps. However, the community worked to get their land back. In 1915, with help from the nearby Fond du Lac Band, the Sandy Lake Cemetery was made safe again. Then, in 1940, the land for the current village was finally secured.
