Tuscarora Reservation facts for kids
The Tuscarora Reservation is a special area of land in Niagara County, New York. The Tuscarora people call it Nyučirhéʼę in their language. It's also known as the Tuscaroran Indian Nation (Skaru:reʔ Kayeda:kreh). About 1,152 people lived here in 2010.
The Tuscarora are a Native American tribe officially recognized by the United States government. They are the Sixth Nation of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy. This group of Native American nations was very active even before the American Revolutionary War.
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History of the Tuscarora People
Long ago, the Tuscarora tribe lived in the New York area. Over time, they moved south to the Carolinas. In the early 1700s, they had a big conflict with European settlers and other Native American tribes. After losing the Tuscarora War, most of the tribe began moving back north in 1722.
They first settled near the Oneida tribe in central New York. By the early 1800s, the Tuscarora announced that their tribe had fully moved north. They said that any Tuscarora who stayed in the South were no longer part of their tribe.
During the American Revolution, the Tuscarora and Oneida tribes became allies of the American colonists. They also supported the United States during the War of 1812. In both wars, British forces and their Native American allies attacked them in central New York.
In 1797, the Tuscarora were given land by the Seneca tribe. This land had originally been taken from the Neutral Nation during the Beaver Wars in the mid-1600s. Then, in 1803, the U.S. government officially granted the Tuscarora a reservation in Niagara County.
Land Challenges and Solutions
In 1960, New York State took about 550 acres (2.2 square kilometers) of the Tuscarora reservation. This was done to create a reservoir for the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant. This power plant is run by the New York Power Authority. The state needed more land, but a United States Supreme Court decision limited what they could take. They had to pay $1,500 for each acre.
This land seizure caused many tribal members to be displaced. It also seriously harmed their economy. After a long court case and many appeals, the Power Authority agreed to pay the tribe money in 2003. They also returned some unused land.
The reservation's land comes from different sources. Some land was given by the Seneca tribe. Some was donated by the Holland Land Company. Other parts are trust land held by the federal government.
A famous person, Frank Mount Pleasant, who was a football coach at the University at Buffalo, was born here.
Geography of the Reservation
The Tuscarora Reservation covers about 9.3 square miles (24.0 square kilometers) of land. It is located northeast of Niagara Falls, New York. The town of Lewiston surrounds it.
Water Issues on the Reservation
On October 26, 2019, it was reported that the Niagara Power Project caused a loss of over 600 acres of land. This happened when Robert Moses flooded the area to create a reservoir. Since then, the Reservation has faced a water shortage. The reservation is now on the highest point in Niagara.
Tests in 2012 showed problems with the water. For example, 14 out of 15 wells had lead. Also, 139 wells were tested for harmful bacteria. About 69% had Total Coliforms, and 22% had E. coli.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 337 | — | |
| 1910 | 417 | 23.7% | |
| 1920 | 319 | −23.5% | |
| 1930 | 402 | 26.0% | |
| 1940 | 462 | 14.9% | |
| 1950 | 634 | 37.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,934 | 205.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,134 | −41.4% | |
| 1980 | 921 | −18.8% | |
| 1990 | 772 | −16.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,138 | 47.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,152 | 1.2% | |
| 2014 (est.) | 1,149 | −0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 1,138 people living on the reservation. The population density was about 122.8 people per square mile (47.4 per square kilometer).
The population was spread out by age. About 34.3% were under 18 years old. The median age was 26 years.
