The Bay Mills Indian Community is located 25 miles west of Sault Ste. Marie at Brimley, MI in Chippewa County. The current tribal enrollment is 1,372 with an unemployment rate of 26% in 1998 according to the BIA National Labor Force Report with 0% of those employed living below the poverty level guidelines.

Bay Mills people are Anishnabek Ojibwa (Chippewa) who have lived for hundreds of years around Whitefish Bay, the Falls of the St. Mary’s River (Bahweting Zeba) and the bluffs overlooking Tahquamenon Bay, all on Lake Superior, most of which still encompass their present-day homelands. In 1849, they were reported to primarily be members of the Ojibwa Crane Clan (Ah-ji-jawk’ Dodem) and their major means of subsistence consisted of fishing, hunting, gathering of wild berries, nuts and plants for medicinal purposes and maple-sugaring.

In 1849, a Methodist Mission was established near Naomikong Point (Where the Breakers Strike The Shore), later referred to as Shoal Point by the Jesuit Catholics when they constructed their Indian Mission as well in the same general area. By 1854 saw mills, as part of the booming lumbering industry of mostly White Pine was opened at Pendill’s Creek where many of the local Native men became employed.

It was reported by Harvey Mellon, US Deputy Surveyor at that time that “the fur and game were abundant, fishing quite amble and cultivated fields overlooking the bluffs of Lake Superior suffice to result in the local Indians being well rewarded for their efforts.”

By 1858 the local Ojibwa Band moved westward to a settlement initially called Shawville and now know as the Bay Mills Reservation and Mission. The Bay Mills Reservation was officially established by an Act of Congress on June 19, 1860.

The tribal history following the era of 1860-1935 is similar to most other Michigan tribes. They were left with a small land base, continued to make a living the best way they could, attended mission schools and survived. In 1937, they organized their tribal government as it is known today, pursuant to the terms of the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act, with a General Council, an elected Executive Council of 05 officers, adopted an approved constitution, bylaws and corporate charter.

During the Great Depression years of the 1930s most worked in many of the New Deal Programs, including a Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) Camp, composed of all Indians and in the 1940s, many of the tribal members served in the U.S. Armed Forces and participated with valor in WW II.

In the 1950s, they continued to fish and work in the woods for their primary income. By this time, their tribal students were attending local public schools for the most part, with some at government operated Indian Boarding Schools in the Dakotas and Kansas, some at the Indian Holy Childhood Mission School in Harbor Springs, MI and a few traveling to or being billeted in Sault Ste. Marie so they could attend Loretto Catholic Central High School.

The mid-late 1960s, saw winds of change at Bay Mills and throughout most of Indian Country. Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty programs were in full gear as well as Civil Rights legislation and movements. Federally funded programs such as VISTA among others came to the reservation from agencies other than the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Indian Health Services.

During this time, some of the Bay Mills members, led by Albert “Big Abe” LeBlanc begin challenging the Michigan ban on tribal commercial fishing rights and they eventually regained the treaty right to fish again through a number of court cases.

In 1966 Bay Mills became one of the four founding federal tribes that established the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc. As monies would permit, Bay Mills continued to solidify their tribal infrastructure and expand tribal membership services. They continued in this mode throughout the 1970s, 80s & 90s and it remains ongoing.

In 1984 Bay Mills established a Vocational School which evolved to become Bay Mills Community College, which today continues to be the easternmost of the 28 Tribal Community Colleges in the United States. BMCC has established North Central Accreditation and continues to be successful, particularly their LPN Nursing Program, Anishnabek Ojibwa Language Program and newly introduced Teacher Education Program which is operated in conjunction with Ferris State University of Big Rapids, MI.

The year 1984 was also pivotal for Bay Mills because it was the time they begun construction of a tribal gaming facility, the first Indian tribally owned and operated in the country.

As the casino grew, a resort, convention center and golf course were established and they have all contributed to significant gainful employment opportunities, upgrading of tribal infrastructure and most everything else on the reservation. The lives of all members have been enhanced by the tribal enterprises not only in government services for membership but in many other opportunities as well.

Today, the tribe provided Headstart/Early Headstart, Housing, Law Enforcement, Elders, Youth, Recreation, Health, Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse and a myriad of other tribal services. They opened a new Tribal Health Center in 1997, and in June 2001, opened a new Tribal Elders facility, The Armella LeBlanc Parker Center.

The tribal land base, last reported by BIA statistics shows 2,189.51 acres of trust lands as well as other tribally purchased lands, not yet in trust with the federal government. The tribe has consistently listed economic development and diversity, education, health care and social services as their ongoing tribal priorities.

In April 2001, they proudly unveiled their tribal history in a book entitled: “The Place of the Pike –Gnoozhbekaaning- A History of the Bay Mills Indian Community”, compiled by Charles E. Cleland and published by the University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. It was a labor of love, for the many volunteers of the community, particularly by members of the Bay Mills Ojibwe Historical Committee and Tribal Council, led by Chairperson, Mr. Jeffrey D. Parker.

The work is dedicated to the Bay Mills elders ‘who walked the earth before us, and who lived that part of history as told in our oral traditions. To those who struggled to maintain their land and life, and whose efforts and perseverance made us what we are today. To them we say thank you.”

Bay Mills has examined and remembered their past, while living in the present and planning for the future with utmost detail and confidence. They continue to realize that it has been “tradition” that enables any culture to endure long periods of oppression, cultural deprivation and lack of respect. They will not let history repeat itself.