How the US acquired Glacier’s mountains from starving Blackfeet for less than $2 per acre in 1895

The Starvation Winter That Forced Their Hand

The winter of 1883-1884 killed nearly 600-700 Blackfeet, about one-fourth of the tribe. Government food rations never arrived, and hunger spread across the reservation.

The U.S. Army and settlers had killed off the buffalo herds.

By 1884, the last Blackfeet buffalo hunt near Sweet Grass Hills found almost nothing. For generations, buffalo provided the Blackfeet with food, shelter, clothing, and tools.

Without buffalo, the Blackfeet changed from free-roaming hunters to people stuck on reservations, dependent on government handouts.

When US Commissioners Arrived With A Proposal

Three U.S. commissioners came to the Blackfeet Reservation in August 1895. They wanted to buy the mountainous western part of Blackfeet land.

The government wanted this land for mining. Gold, copper, and other minerals attracted mining companies throughout Montana.

Before talks began, the commissioners spent two weeks looking at the land. Blackfeet guides showed them the territory.

On September 20, 1895, official talks began. The Blackfeet chose thirty-five tribal members to speak for them.

The Blackfeet Initially Refused The Sale

The Blackfeet first refused to sell their sacred mountains. Tribal leaders knew the spiritual value of the land and wanted to keep hunting there.

The tribe asked for $3 million. The commissioners quickly said no, claiming Congress would never pay that much. Talks nearly ended.

The commissioners packed to leave when the tribe held firm on their price. Chief White Calf called the mountains his people’s “last refuge.”

Little Dog reminded the commissioners that the Blackfeet “did not ask the government to come and buy their land.”

Conservationists Who Influenced The Agreement

George Bird Grinnell played a key role beyond being a commissioner. He had studied Blackfeet culture for years as a writer and conservationist.

James Willard Schultz lived with the Blackfeet, married a Blackfeet woman, and spoke their language. Both men convinced tribal leaders that selling was their only option.

The Blackfeet were hungry and poor after years of small government food rations. Their bargaining power grew weaker each year.

Some leaders knew the hard truth – if they refused to sell, the government might take the land by force. Other tribes had already lost land this way.

When The Price Was Bargained Down

The U.S. government eventually wore down the Blackfeet, cutting their price from $3 million to $1.5 million.

The tribe got half of what they first asked for their sacred lands. Payments would spread over ten years.

The first payment was $250,000, with nine yearly payments of $150,000 to follow. This money meant survival for people facing starvation.

The Blackfeet needed food and supplies after years of hunger. The payment plan kept the Blackfeet dependent on the government.

Instead of one large payment, they had to wait years for the full amount.

The Rights The Blackfeet Thought They Kept

The agreement said the Blackfeet could still hunt, fish, and gather wood “so long as the same shall remain public lands of the United States.”

These rights were vital. Hunting on these lands helped feed families when reservation food ran short. The agreement said these activities must follow “the game and fish laws of the State of Montana.”

This wording later allowed officials to limit tribal access. The Blackfeet believed these rights would last forever as long as the government owned the land.

Later events proved them wrong.

The Agreement Is Signed On September 26

The signing happened at 10:00 a.m. on September 26, 1895, at Blackfeet Agency.

Tribal members gathered to hear the final terms. George Bird Grinnell read the agreement aloud.

Three interpreters – Charles Simon, James Perrine, and Richard Sanderville – translated the legal language. Most adult male Blackfeet signed the agreement.

Many could not read English and trusted what the interpreters told them.

Two days later, the interpreters certified that they had fully explained the agreement. This added an official stamp to the process.

The Land That Changed Hands

The agreement gave 800,000 acres of mountains and forests to the United States.

The new boundary ran from the Rocky Mountain summit eastward to a line south from Chief Mountain.

Before this, the Blackfeet Reservation reached all the way to “the summit of the main range of the Rocky Mountains.” The new line cut deep into tribal lands.

The land included many sacred places, like Chief Mountain – a peak central to Blackfeet spiritual practices for thousands of years.

Government officials mainly wanted this land for mining. Montana’s mining boom created interest in any place that might have gold, silver, or copper.

Congress Ratifies The Agreement

The U.S. Senate approved the agreement in June 1896, nine months after signing. President Grover Cleveland signed it into law on June 10.

This approval made the land transfer and payment plan official.

The government now legally owned the mountain territory that would later become part of Glacier National Park. The Blackfeet had no further say in the process.

Once tribal leaders signed, they could not change or challenge the agreement.

The first $250,000 payment arrived after approval, bringing temporary relief to the poor reservation. Nine yearly payments of $150,000 would follow.

How The Land Became Glacier National Park

The government named the land a forest reserve in 1897, just one year after approval. This limited development while keeping federal control.

Despite talk about mining during negotiations, little mining actually happened. The value of the land soon shifted from mining to scenic beauty.

Louis W. Hill, who ran the Great Northern Railway, saw tourist potential. His company built hotels and promoted the “American Alps” to wealthy travelers.

In 1910, Congress created Glacier National Park, using the former Blackfeet lands as the park’s eastern section. In just fifteen years, tribal land became a national park.

Visiting Glacier National Park in Montana

Glacier National Park spans the U.S.-Canada border in northwestern Montana. The east side of the park contains the former Blackfeet lands.

Park entrance fees range from $20 for individuals to $35 for vehicles, valid for seven days. Sun Tours offers Blackfeet cultural tours from mid-May through mid-October.

Tours cost $75-95 per person and require advance booking. The Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning displays Blackfeet artifacts and history.

The annual North American Indian Days celebration in Browning (second week of July) features traditional dancing, rodeo events, and cultural demonstrations just outside the park boundary.

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