by Shannon Farlouis

Created on: December 20, 2011   Last Updated: December 21, 2011

The Flathead Indian Reservation lies on the Flathead River in western Montana. This resrvation has a long history that dates back to 1855. This reservation was set aside for the Flathead Indians in 1855 by the Treaty of Hellgate. In 1904, the United States Congress passed the Flathead Allotment Act. This act caused a lot of resentment by the Flatheads because it allowed whites passage. It was during this time that the Flatheads were given a choice of 80 or 160 acres of land. The rest of the land was made available to the whites in 1910. This led to a huge dispute between the tribes and the state over off-reservation hunting. This dispute resulted in the Swan Valley Massacre of 1908. It was during the 18th century that two tribes shared the reservation and these tribes were the Salish and the Kootenai. They shared hunting and gathering grounds.

The northern tip of Flathead Lake is not part of the reservation. Parts of the Mission Mountains lie on the reservation. This reservation is protected by the Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness and the Mission Mountain Wilderness. Flathead Lake is rich in a variety of native fish species. Hunting animals that have fur is prohibited on this reservation, but hunting birds is permitted. In 2010, the population of the reservation was 28,359. Compared to the 2000 census, it has seen an 8% increase in the population. Today, non-Indians outnumber the Indians on this reservation by 2 to 1. The largest community on this reservation is the city of Polson. Some findings confirm that the settlements of the tribes on the reservations date back to the Ice Age. Today, there are over 40 different tribes that are represented by the Flathead Indians. 

The tribes which live on this reservation gain much of their income from selling timber. The Flathead Indian Reservation has quite a few points of interest that attract visitors from near and far and they are the museum, parks, mountains, and visitors´ center. About 23 towns are located on the reservation. Whites used to own most of the reservation land, but the Indians are continuing to buy their land back. Today, only about 1/3 of the land on this reservation is owned by whites.The tribes had a lifestyle that was based on buffalo hunting. Salmon fishing was also an important part of their lifestyle. They were also dependent on the native plants for food and medicine.

Learn more about this author, Shannon Farlouis.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.