1836 Treaty of Washington
The 1836 treaty ceded the yellow (Royce No. 205) area covering eastern Upper Peninsula and the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
A significant agreement was signed in Washington, D.C. on March 28, 1836. The agreement was between the United States and several Anishinaabe leaders from Michigan. The Treaty of Washington resulted in the cession of over one-third of Michigan’s land. This spanned the eastern Upper Peninsula and much of the northwestern Lower Peninsula. In return, the tribes retained their rights to hunt and fish on the lands and waters they had called home for generations.
The impact of this treaty would be felt for over a century. In the 1960s, Michigan imposed strict regulations on commercial fishing, severely restricting tribal fishermen. In response, tribal leaders, inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, staged acts of civil disobedience, refusing to comply with state fishing restrictions. Tensions escalated as anti-Indigenous rhetoric spread, leading to violent confrontations.
In 1979, the fight reached the courts. Tribal representatives presented the 1836 treaty as evidence of their rightful claim to the water and its resources—and they won. The ruling reaffirmed their sovereignty and ensured that tribal fishermen could continue their traditional practices. Today, the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) oversees the 1836 Treaty fishing rights. The authority represents tribes such as the Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band, Little River Band, Little Traverse Bay Bands, and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe.
The Treaty of Washington is more than a historical document—it remains a testament to tribal sovereignty and resilience. Its impact is still felt today, shaping both legal precedent and the ongoing fight for Indigenous rights in Michigan.
