This Montana/Idaho Ojibwa Reservation has a very suspicious past. It was supposedly established in 1875 but that is another white lie. Something about this event resembles the circumstances surrounding the events which happened to Ojibwa People led by Charlo who lived at Bitterroot Valley and Big Hole Basin of Montana, which is east and about 40 miles to the north of the so called Lemhi Reservation of Idaho. Charlo refused to leave Bitterroot Valley and Big Hole Basin. The whites resorted to destroying the crops grown by Ojibwa People living at the Bitterroot Valley of Montana, to force them to relocate to Jocko Reservation in October of 1891. Though Lemhi Valley is not as large as Big Hole Basin and Bitterroot Valley, whites wanted it. Supposedly the United States set aside a 160 sq. mi. (102,104 acres) Reservation in Lemhi Valley in 1875. Then in 1907 they had a change of plans. Supposedly the United States demanded that Ojibwa People of Lemhi Valley must have their Reservation eradicated and that they must relocate to Fort Hall Reservation. A complete outright lie!
We trace origins of Lemhi Reservation to July 16, 1855's Hellgate Treaty. On July 16, 1805, Lewis and Clark left the Great Falls, Montana region and supposedly sailed through the narrow mountain valley Mississippi River (aka Missouri River) flowed through. It's very likely William Clark stayed at Great Falls. He sent a few of his men up Mississippi River to find the source of Mississippi River while he kept up negotiations with Ojibwa leaders at Great Falls. Clark had already been told it would be quicker to reach Big Hole Basin which is where the source of Mississippi River is, using horses. From Great Falls, Clark and his men could reach Big Hole Basin in less than a week. Following Sun River to a location (near what is now Simms, Montana) where a road leads southwest to what is now Lincoln, Montana, would lead them to Lincoln then to what is now Helmville, Montana. From the Helmville region a route to Avon, Montana was used. From Avon, they were told to continue southwest to Deer Lodge Valley. At Deer Lodge Valley, they continued south until reaching what is now Anaconda, Montana and an old Ojibwa Road leading to Big Hole Basin. They were told they'd find Mississippi River following the old Ojibwa Road. Today that road is Highway 569. After continuing their trek on the old Ojibwa road they reached a location where the road branched. Highway 43 is located there. That's where William Clark found Mississippi River. Later, whites named the waterway Big Hole River to draw attention away from the truth! Lewis and his men kept sailing up Marias River until reaching South Fork Marias River (aka South Fork Two Medicine River). Continuing following SFMR they reached Summit Creek then Bear Creek then Flathead River. Ojibwa's had built Reservoirs (Zaa-ga-i-gan-in) long before to allow Salmon to reach north central Montana including the Great Falls region. Lewis was given instructions to investigate the waterway to learn if it could be used to use larger vessels. He was also told to find the Rocky Mountain Trench which is the real Continental Divide or Main Divide of the Rocky Mountains. His journey took him to south of Flathead Lake then Mission Valley where he stayed for quite some time. He knew a road led south to Bitterroot Valley then to Big Hole Basin. Lewis and his men were first to reach Big Hole Basin.
Lewis reached Big Hole Basin yet used deceit! He did not reach Lemhi Valley. He might have made his way to Lemhi Valley to find Salmon River yet he was only away a couple of days. He had to greet William Clark who he was expecting to reach Big Hole Basin soon. He met Sacajawea's brother at an Ojibwa village at Big Hole Basin. Sacajawea and her brother might have been white captives or mixed bloods. They were slaves owned by Ojibwa People with much liberty. Sacajawea's brother was allowed to become a leader among Ojibwa People at Big Hole Basin. Lewis and Clark learned that whites lived to the west near Pacific Ocean (Russians) and to the south (Latins). They were instructed to make contact with Russians. Read William Clarks climate data while they were at Big Hole Basin (not Lemhi Valley) during August 1805. Clark wrote the high and low for August 21, 1805 were 78 and 19. That can only happen at Big Hole Basin. Lewis complained about how cold the morning of August 21, 1805 was. Most everything iced over yet later that day Lewis wrote the day turned out to be a very warm day. Throughout Big Hole Basin were a number of Ojibwa villages. Their population throughout Big Hole Basin was as high as 10,000 yet probably less than 5,000. Food was not as plentiful as on the plains. Making their way over the Bitterroot Mountains they reached Salmon River and fished for Salmon. Though sending hunting parties to the plains to hunt for buffalo was not pleasant they had to if they wanted more food. Bringing the food back to Big Hole Basin made them irritated and prone to quarrelling. Lewis and Clark left them then made camp to prepare to trek west to Pacific Ocean.
Lemhi Reservation has a rich history and a corrupted one. Only a small part of Lemhi Reservation is located at Idaho. Nearly all is located at southwest Montana. Mainly Big Hole Basin. East boundary of Lemhi Reservation is Interstate 15 which leads from a location a few miles west of Butte south to Clark Canyon Reservoir where Lewis and Clark made camp. The boundary then leads west to Grant, Montana then continues slightly southwest to Lemhi, Idaho. The boundary then follows a line northeast to the Bitterroot Mountains then follows mountain peaks to a location near Anaconda, Montana then to Interstate 15 near Butte. Chief Rocky Boy tried saving Lemhi Reservation! Press reports indicate chief Rocky Boy negotiated for the citizens of Lemhi Reservation yet he was ignored or told that little could be done. After leaving Crow-Northern CHeyenne Reservation in 1900 or early 1901, chief Rocky Boy led 100's of Ojibwa's to Lemhi Reservation then to Fort Hall Reservation. He continued fighting to keep Lemhi Reservation which was created by July 16, 1855's Hellgate Treaty. Since we don't know what became of the 1904 negotiations between chief Rocky Boy and Congressman Dixon, it means we must consider Lemhi Reservation an existing Ojibwa Reservation!
In 1906 and 1907, American leaders rounded up 1,000's of Ojibwa's living at their Lemhi Reservation and relocated them to Fort Hall Reservation and land additions to Navajo Reservation. Chief Rocky Boy became concerned after being informed of the criminal activity of American leaders. In 1908, American leaders targeted chief Rocky Boys Reservation (aka Flathead Reservation and Flathead Mountain Reservation) yet chief Rocky Boy rejected ceding Reservation. He and 100's of his Ojibwa Subjcts were relocated to Blackfeet Reservation in November 1909. Then in 1913, chief Rocky Boy negotiated to withdraw Ojibwa Soldiers from Mexico's Civil War. He was returned to Flathead Reservation (aka Flathead Mountain Reservation) in 1913. We can be certain that Lemhi Reservation was also returned to his Ojibwa Subjects.
