Bay Mills Indian Community
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The Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC) is an Indian reservation forming the land base of the Sault Ste. Marie band of Chippewas. It is located in Chippewa County, Michigan approximately 15 miles west/southwest of Sault Ste. Marie, mostly within Bay Mills Township.
With the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934, the Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC) was one of the four original reservations established in Michigan. In 1937, land was purchased for Bay Mills and the BMIC was organized with the adoption of their Constitution and Charter on November 27, 1937 in accordance with the IRA. These lands, along with the original Bay Mills Mission and a small area on Sugar Island, comprise the majority of the current reservation land holdings in Chippewa County.
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Location of Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan
The area within the reservation boundaries is in U.S. trust status and is divided into two separate areas. The majority of the land base lies northwest of Brimley, Michigan, while the remainder, approximately 600 acres (2.4 km²), exists on Sugar Island in the St. Mary's River. The Tribe has also obtained additional land in the last few years, increasing the land base to approximately 3,494 acres (14 km²), of which 3,109 acres (13 km²) are in trust.
The BMIC consists of approximately 1,309 registered members. It is governed by the General Tribal Council, which consists of all voting-age members of the Tribe. Daily decisions are made by the Executive Council, which consists of five elected officials (president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, councilman).
Bay Mills Community College is an accredited tribal college operated by the community.
The tribe also operates the Bay Mills Resort & Casino.
External links
- Bay Mills Indian Community (http://www.baymills.org/)
- Bay Mills News (http://www.baymills.org/newspaper/)
- Constitution and Bylaws (http://www.tribalresourcecenter.org/ccfolder/bmconstitution.htm)
- EPA information (http://www.epa.gov/reg5oopa/tribes/tribepages/baymills.htm) (a portion of this article is based on this public domain information)
- Historical background (http://www.itcmi.org/thehistorytribal3.html)