Colonization

Erected in 1932, this monument commemorates the treaty in which the Chippewa Indians ceded their rights to the Red River Valley in Minnesota to the US. The Treaty of Old Crossing (1863) was a forced treaty in order to serve the business interests of the local and national government. This treaty allowed for businesses, most notably transportation companies, to pass through the Chippewa territory (specifically the Pembina Trails) and compensated Chippewa by allocating $20,000 per year for 20 years and $100,000 per year to each "Indian Trader." In addition, the treaty entailed that 160 acres of land will be granted to each Chippewa "male adult half-breed or mix blood... who has adopted the habits and customs of civilized life."