Lake Traverse Indian Reservation

Lake Traverse Indian Reservation
Location in North Dakota and South Dakota
Location in North Dakota and South Dakota
TribeSisseton Wahpeton Oyate
CountryUnited States
StatesNorth Dakota
South Dakota
CountiesRichland
Sargent
Codington
Day
Grant
Marshall
Roberts
HeadquartersAgency Village
Government
 • BodyTribal Council
 • ChairmanJ. Garret Renville
 • Vice-ChairmanLexie Fancher-Lincoln
 • SecretaryCurtis Bissonette
Population
 (2024)[1]
 • Total
14,800
Websiteswo-nsn.gov

The Lake Traverse Indian Reservation is the homeland of the federally recognized Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, a branch of the Santee Dakota group of Native Americans. Most of the reservation covers parts of five counties in northeastern South Dakota, while smaller parts are in two counties in southeastern North Dakota, United States.

The Reservation was created by treaty on April 22, 1867 A.D. and called the Flatiron Reservation, in reference to its triangular shape.[2] It was created for the "friendly Dakota" from the Minnesota hostilities of 1862-1866. Signatories of the treaty were Gabriel Renville, John Otherday plus twenty-one other Sisseton and Wahpeton leaders.[2] Gabriel Renville was the first Chief of the Reservation.

Its resident population of 10,408 people, was counted during the 2000 census. About one-third of its inhabitants identify as of solely Native American heritage. Its largest community is the city of Sisseton, South Dakota. It operates a tribal college, Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College.

  1. ^ "Tribal Council". Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  2. ^ a b History of Sioux Indians, Chapter XXXVI, SOUTH DAKOTA GENEALOGY TRAILS [1]