Welcome from the Fort Peck Service Unit

The Fort Peck Reservation is located in the northeastern Montana and includes Daniel's, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, and Valley counties with 89 percent of the Indian people residing in Roosevelt County. For FY 1996 the Official IHS Population for the Fort Peck Service Unit consists of 7,304 Indian people. The FY 1995 "User Population" is comprised of 8,427 Indian people.

Direct ambulatory and preventative health services are provided through the I.H.S programs with all inpatient services provided through contractual agreements with the 22-bed community hospital in Poplar, and the 32-bed community hospital in Wolf Point.

The Fort Peck Service Unit is accredited by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

Contact Information

Chief Redstone Health Clinic
P.O. Box 729
Wolf Point, Montana 59201
Main: (406) 653-1641
Fax: (406) 653-3728

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Services Offered

Housing

The Service Unit has available the following types of units:

2 Bedroom Model
2 - Bedroom Main Floor, Large Open Upstairs Area, 1 Bath, Living Room, Kitchen, Central Air, Garage, Sprinkler System
Walking distance to the Clinic and Hospital

3 Bedroom Model
3 - Bedroom, 1 bath, Kitchen, Living/ Dining areas, Central Air, Washer/Dryer, Crawl Space, Storage Shed
Walking distance to the Clinic and Hospital

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Community Information

The principle communities on the reservation are as follows:

• Poplar - Located here are the headquarters for the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, the Fort Peck Indian Agency, the Verne E. Gibbs IHS Health Center, Poplar Community Hospital and Nursing Home. Poplar is the second largest town on the reservation and approximately 3,698 Indian people reside here.

• Wolf Point - Located here is the Chief Redstone IHS Health Center, Faith Lutheran Home, and Trinity Hospital. Wolf Point is the largest town on the reservation and approximately 2,949 Indian people reside here.

• Brockton, Frazer, Oswego, and Fort Kipp These are the smaller communities within the reservation boundaries and approximately 472 Indian people reside in Brockton, 562 in Frazer, 71 in Oswego and 204 in Fort Kipp.

Education

Poplar Public Schools
Superintendent Phone: 406-768-3409
Poplar School Phone: 406-768-5601
Poplar 5-8 Phone: 406-768-5602
Poplar High School Phone: 406-768-5603

Wolf Point Public Schools
Northside Elementary Phone: 406-653-1653
Southside Elementary Phone: 406-653-1480
Wolf Point Junior High Phone: 406-653-1200
Wolf Point High School Phone: 406-653-1200

Frazer School-District 2 – 2B
High School Phone: 406-695-2220
Modem Line Phone: 406-695-2254
Principal Phone: 406-695-2242
Superintendent Phone: 406-695-2241
Alta-Care Phone: 406-695-2209

Tribal College
Fort Peck Community College
Phone: 406-768-6300
Website: http://www.fpcc.edu

Recreational Activities

Fort Peck Reservoir
Eighty miles west of Poplar and only 60 from Wolf Point lies one of the few waters in the country where an angler can legitimately expect to corner a 12 pound walleye. The largest hydraulic earth-filled dam in the world holds back 49 other species of fish as well as 1,500 miles of shoreline and a body of water 130 miles long. Northern pike to 30 pounds are often caught alongside trophy walleye and sauger. Lakers generally run from 4 to 6 pounds with a few up to 19. Channel cats run to 20 pounds, chinooks over 20 pounds, and those battling paddlefish frequently exceed 100 pounds. Small mouth, crappie, yellow perch, freshwater drum and sturgeon provide welcome breaks in the action. Social butterflies will be sorely disappointed while those who find secret hot spots will feel indulged: it is not unknown to fish all day without encountering a fellow angler. The adjacent river, dredge cuts and below-dam sites are equally species-gifted and challenge boat-, shore- and fly-fishermen to try their luck alongside camping, picnicking and other recreational opportunities afforded by these beautiful river lands.

For most, the operative word here is Walleye. Fort Peck fishery is such an exceptional fishery that the Professional Walleye Trail has chosen it as one of its four major tournament sites two years in a row. Walleye fishermen can expect to catch their favorite beasts in the two-to-five pound category regularly with an occasional eight to ten and even twelve pounder rounding out the stringer. In 1995 a monster 16.3 pounder was pulled from the reservoir. It could be your turn next, after mine.

Missouri River
The Missouri River from the Fort Peck Dam east to the North Dakota border holds more excellent fishing opportunities. Near Fort Peck itself, dredge cuts and the cold water river section immediately below the dam show exceptional northern pike and rainbow trout fishing as well as walleye and sauger. Moving eastward, the mouths of in-flowing tributaries, especially the Milk and the Poplar Rivers, are consistent producers and during the spring spawning season provide truly exceptional action. One well-kept secret is the quality of the Poplar River which runs within 100 yards of the Poplar Indian Health Hospital. You must discover the secret yourself. I'm not allowed to blab.

Fishing for Dinosaurs
The Missouri River and Yellowstone River in eastern Montana and western North Dakota offer a unique opportunity to catch the huge, prehistoric fish named for its manner of locomotion. These monsters are traditionally caught by snagging with a treble hooks and weights setup from just after ice out until June. The wise eat their Wheaties, paddlefish of 60 pounds are common with quite a few specimens over 100 pounds caught every year. The flesh is a culinary delight and their eggs are compared favorably with imported caviar.

Hunting Fort Peck at its Very Best
Picture a prairie with stands of cotton wood in the coulees and river bottoms along with vast shore lines. Spectacular sunrises and sunsets encompass the finest hunting in the North American Continent. It will be difficult to decide weather to stalk trophy game or fish for abundant denizen of the deep.

The grass lands are home to significant populations of upland game birds including: sage hens, sharptail grouse, hungarian partridge and pheasants which await the wing shoot enthusiast. Geese and ducks are lured to the water fouler who prefers to hunt with flocks of birds, not hunters.

Big game hunting for elk, mule deer, white tail deer, antelope and sheep is available of general season hunting. A premier archery season around the Fort Peck reservoir affords the chance to collect a trophy bull elk for those in search of the challenge. Herds of big game are large enough to allow several tags for certain species.

The long range marksman will find prairie dog towns that are untouched. There are also many fur bearing species such as coyote, badger, bobcat, mountain lion and others.

All of this is readily available on thousands of acres of state, federal, tribal and private land open for public use. If you care to share in the natural splendor, abundant wildlife and stress free way of life, please come join us the Fort Peck Area.

Additional Recreational Sports for All Ages
The Fort Peck Reservation and the surrounding areas have endless recreational opportunities. There are seasonal recreational sports for all ages. For the youth there is Little league, Babe Ruth, and Legion baseball programs as well as softball for girls and adults.

Water sports are also available, swimming is available local swimming pools in Wolf Point and Culbertson. Other recreational sports:

Youth - Soccer, Baseball, Football, Wrestling, Volleyball, Girls softball, Swimming, Girls basketball and Boys basketball

Adults - Softball, Basketball, Golf, Racquetball, Horseback riding, Bowling, Rodeo, Camping, Tennis, Water skiing and Boating

Please check out the following websites:

Website: http://www.fortpeckdam.com

Website: http://www.fortpeckpaleo.com

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History of the Fort Peck Reservation

Reservation History

In 1855 and again in 1874, the Blackfeet tribes were assigned a territory north of the Missouri River, which extended east from the Rocky Mountains to an area that would become the western boundary of Montana. The establishment of this area for the Blackfeet is significant as bands of Assiniboine and Sioux people were either assigned to the territory or recognized as having common hunting rights on the land, particularly the Sioux who were migrating into the area as political exiles from Dakota Territory and the Minnesota Wars of 1862. During this period, large numbers of Sisseton, Wahpeton, and Wahpekute Sioux bands primarily under the leadership of Standing Buffalo and Yanktonais and Yankton Sioux bands under the leadership of Medicine Bear, Strike the Rees, Red Thunder, Black Catfish, and other principle leaders, moved into the area.

Meanwhile, the Sioux again at Fort Laramie, signed another treaty in 1868 creating the "Greater Sioux Reservation," in Dakota Territory. Repeated violations of this treaty by the United States Government would eventually lead to the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, where General George A. Custer and most of his men would lose their lives. The numerous fights between the Sioux and the United States Army before and after this battle would lead to the migration of additional Sioux bands (Tetons) into the present Reservation Area.

There were numerous Assiniboine bands already living in the area during this time of conflict, warfare, and rapid change. The area was prime buffalo country but that would soon change as white buffalo hunters moved into the area and began to slaughter the animals by the thousands. By 1883, the buffalo had disappeared from their northern range and the life style of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes changed dramatically. It was also during this same period that the Assiniboine Tribe lost without "just compensation" the territory outlined by the original 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty. Through a series of actions and without the consent of the Assiniboine, Congress in responding to pressure from white ranchers and settlers, opened the original reservation for settlement.

Finally on May 15, 1886, Congress in an effort to stabilize the area, attached a rider to the Indian Appropriations Act and authorized the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to begin negotiations with the Tribes of the territory. Led by Major Larabee, the Northwest Indian Commission, traveled during one of the harshest winters on record to the area and met separately with the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes to establish the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Meanwhile, white representatives of Montana Territory were busy lobbying Congress to remove all of the tribes from the territory. On the final document, 137 Assiniboine with Redstone as the chief signatory and 263 Sioux with Medicine Bear as the chief signatory authorized the present reservation agreement.

The People

Today, there are over 10,000 tribally enrolled members, of whom approximately 6,000 reside on or near the reservation. The major population areas are located in six reservation communities along the southern border on U.S. Highway 2 near the Missouri River. Traveling east to west these are: Fort Kipp, Brockton, Poplar, Wolf Point, Oswego, and Frazer, MT. The two tribes adopted their first written constitution in 1927, but replaced it with a new constitution in 1960. The official governing body of the Tribes is the Tribal Executive Board which is composed of twelve voting members, plus a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary-Accountant, and Sergeant-At-Arms. All members of the governing body, except the Secretary-Accountant, are elected at large every two years. Tribal headquarters are located in Poplar, Montana.

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Fort Peck Tribes Website

Visit the Fort Peck Tribes Website

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