Hill 57
Hill 57 is a rural area on the northwestern outskirts of Great Falls, Montana, in the Sun River Valley, close to Sun River. It has been the home of many Chippewa Indians of Montana. At one time, the location may have been a reservation for the now landless Chippewa.
History
The name "Hill 57" originated after Heinz 57 was written on Mount Royal in the 1920s.[1] The landless Chippewa, also known as the Saulteaux, have lived in Great Falls since the establishment of the city. They also lived on the outskirts of many other Montana cities. Today, Hill 57 remains the only area in Montana where a small Chippewa population still live.
Diasporas
From time to time, the Chippewa left the Montana reservations they lived on, as well as those in other cities they lived in. Living conditions were one of many reasons for the diasporas to the Great Falls, Montana region (including Ulm, Montana, less than 10 miles away).
1910-1912
In 1910, a series of diasporas off the Blackfeet reservation by the Chippewa commenced, and continued up to 1912. It was Chief Rocky Boy's brother Pennato who led most of the diasporas. Many of the Chippewa fled to the Garrison (Ulm) Montana region to join with the Chippewa already living there. From there, they relocated to Great Falls.
1916-1920
Shortly after the Rocky Boy Reservation was established in 1916, about 90 Chippewa were removed from the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation rolls and ended up relocating to Great Falls.
Between 700 and 1,000 Utes left their Utah reservation in 1906. They were captured a few miles south of the Crow-Northern Cheyenne Reservation, and then agreed to relocate to the Cheyenne River Reservation. Another group of between 700 and 1,000 Chippewa left the Cheyenne River Reservation, and were captured a few miles south of the Crow-Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Through negotiations, the Chippewa were given a new reservation within the Cheyenne River Reservation, which covered over 92,000 acres.
Great Falls Chippewa settlements
In the 1880s, 1890s, and the very early 1900s, Great Falls was large enough to allow the landless Chippewa to establish several camps around the expanding white settlement.
South Great Falls
South of Great Falls was a location where the Chippewa established a camp, shortly before the 1920s. It may have been on the west side across the Missouri River, or on the east side south of what is now 10th Ave. South, or possibly north of 10th Ave. South. The camp was eventually deserted by the Chippewa.
West Great Falls
Another Chippewa camp was located in West Great Falls. It was possibly further west of Hill 57, in the Sun River Valley, or a part of the Hill 57 Chippewa camp. It may have been located near the mouth of the Sun River. There are records that tell of an Indian village in that location before the whites invaded. The camp was possibly deserted or forced to concentrate together on less land. Both Chief Rocky Boy and Chief Little Bear lived at the Chippewa camp on the west side of Great Falls.
North Great Falls
Another Chippewa camp was located in north Great Falls, between Black Eagle, Montana and Mount Royal. The camp was scattered and had a significant Chippewa population. Many of the Chippewa lived where the Montana Refinery Company is located and along the north shores of the Missouri River nearby. To the north is Prospect Heights, where many other Chippewa's lived in north Great Falls. This Chippewa camp in the Great Falls region may have had the largest Chippewa population of the Chippewa camps in the Great Falls region. Chippewas continued to live there well into the 20th century.
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is over 200 feet higher up than the location alongside the hill to the west. At one time a camp of Chippewa lived on the top of Mount Royal. Their population was possibly between 100 and 200. There may be one family living on top of Mount Royal now.
Hill 57
Hill 57 is located alongside Mount Royal. It had the largest Chippewa population in the Great Falls region except for possibly the North Great Falls Chippewa camps. At one time several hundred Chippewa lived there. Even in the early 1950s, up to 300 Chippewa lived alongside Mount Royal (Hill 57) and on top of Mount Royal.
Chief Buffalo Coat
Chief Buffalo Coat was one of Chief Rocky Boy's sub-chiefs who led the Chippewa and Cree in the Great Falls region. He was forced to relocate to Canada by the United States in 1896. However, Buffalo Coat returned to Montana because, according to him, they were not treated well in Canada. Buffalo Coat is important to the Chippewa at Hill 57. In early 1898, he requested for State aid from Montana, land, and citizenship for his people. If the United States actually set aside a reservation for the landless Chippewa in Great Falls, it was around the 1898 time period.
According to reports at the time, the governor of Montana and the federal government claimed no jurisdiction to settle the Chippewa on a reservation. The Great Falls Tribune reported that it would be cheaper to set aside a reservation than to constantly offer emergency aid or to deport them; an indication that the local government in fact desired that a reservation be set aside in order to save local government money.
Buffalo Coat clearly offered to accept past treaty agreements and citizenship for the Chippewa and Cree he led. Either the United States refused the Chief's peace offer or actually agreed to set aside the reservation he requested.
A possible reservation
Since the Chippewa had several camps in the Great Falls region, a Chippewa reservation, if it existed, may have been quite large. It may have covered up to 10,000 acres or more including North Great Falls, northwest Great Falls, West Great Falls, and possibly South Great Falls west of the Missouri River. The Fort Shaw Military Reservation was later used as a school for Indian children. On some late 19th and early 20th century maps, "Fort Shaw Indian Res" is clearly written. Fort Shaw, Montana is about 20 miles west of Great Falls. The old Fort Shaw Military Reservation may have been the reservation.
An attempt to establish a Chippewa reservation in the Flathead Reservation in 1904 was not ratified by the United States. The Chippewa had long lived in Western Montana and under Chief Rocky Boy's leadership, they tried to keep their Chippewa identity alive on the Flathead Reservation by working with Senator Dixon. Senator Dixon did try to speak for the Chippewa of the Flathead Reservation but he was ignored.
A 2160 sq. mi. Chippewa reservation was set aside in Valley County, Montana for the landless Chippewa of western and southwestern Montana, but the Chippewa of western Montana were charged high rates to use trains to travel to Valley County. In November 1909, the United States rounded up to 200 landless Chippewa living in southwestern Montana and relocated them to a new Chippewa reservation on the Blackfeet Reservation, located at Babb. Many didn't like it and commenced the exodus.
Present day
Currently, the population of Hill 57 Chippewa consists of less than 20 individuals divided between 8 or 9 families. These families primarily live alongside Mount Royal; however, one family may live on top of the mountain. The Ah-on-to-way and the Little Shell still struggle to gain federal recognition. Their attempts at federal recognition go back to 1941, or about the time the whites wanted to establish a reservation for the Hill 57 Chippewa. The Ah-on-to-way claim they are the rightful heirs to Hill 57. The Little Shell Chippewa of Montana are said to have been from North Dakota, but the evidence surrounding Ogima Ah-on-to-way suggests otherwise. If any of the landless Chippewa of Montana (there are five groups: the Ah-on-to-way, Black River, Swan Creek Chippewa, Sauk Indians and Little Shell) are to gain federal recognition, it will most likely be the Little Shell Chippewa of Hill 57. The Black River and Swan Creek Chippewa relocated from Michigan to Kansas between 1838 and 1839. Many migrated from Kansas to Montana in the mid-19th century. They have no chance of claiming Hill 57, but only want federal recognition.