St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin facts for kids
| Bikoganoogan | |
|---|---|
Flag of the St. Croix Band
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| Total population | |
| 1,054 (2010) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Wisconsin) |
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| Languages | |
| English, Ojibwe | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Ojibwe people |
The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin are also known as the St. Croix Band. They are a group of Ojibwe people. They live in northwestern Wisconsin, near the St. Croix River. In 2010, there were 1,054 members in their tribe. Being a federally recognized tribe means the United States government officially recognizes them as a sovereign nation.
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History of the St. Croix Chippewa Tribe
The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin are the eastern part of a larger, older group. This group was called the historic St. Croix Chippewa Indians. In 1854, this larger group lost its official recognition from the government.
However, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin later got their federal recognition back. This happened because of a law called the Indian Reorganization Act. The western part of the original tribe, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, is now part of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
Because they lost recognition for a time, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin do not have one large, connected reservation. Their lands are spread out in different places.
How the St. Croix Tribe is Governed
The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin is a federally recognized tribe. This means they have their own government. A group of five people, called the Tribal Council, leads the tribe.
These council members are chosen by the tribe's people. They serve for two years. The Tribal Council makes sure the tribe members are doing well. They also manage the tribe's daily business. Their rules are found in the tribal constitution and by-laws. These rules were first approved in 1934.
The main office for the tribe is in the Sand Lake Reservation Community. This community is about one mile (1.6 km) west of Hertel, Wisconsin.
St. Croix Tribal Businesses
The St. Croix Band runs several businesses to help their community. They operate three casinos. These casinos are part of their "St. Croix Casino" group.
- St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake is in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin.
- St. Croix Casino Hertel is in Hertel.
- St. Croix Casino Danbury is in Danbury.
In 2010, the St. Croix Band was the biggest employer in Burnett County, Wisconsin. This means they provided the most jobs in that area.
St. Croix Indian Reservation Lands
The St. Croix Indian Reservation is not like one big piece of land. Instead, it is made up of many small areas. These areas are officially recognized as federal reservation land. Some are also "off-reservation trust lands."
These small land areas are where families have lived for many generations. The communities are spread out. The longest distance between any two communities is about 50 miles (80 km).
The five main communities are:
- Sand Lake
- Danbury
- Round Lake
- Maple Plain
- Gaslyn
These lands are located in Barron, Burnett, and Polk counties.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, all these lands together cover about 3.81 square miles (9.86 km2). Most of this is land, and a small part is water. In 2020, 765 people lived on these lands. This included 442 people in Burnett County, 185 in Polk County, and 138 in Barron County.
