Watford City / North Dakota / United States
The Trenton Indian Service Area is an organization of American Indian tribes that exercise powers of self-governance similar to that found on the United States federally recognized reservations. More than 1,800 enrolled Chippewas reside on the tribe s 70,000 acres of trust lands. The Trenton Indian Service Area dates back to 1884 when the federal government reneged on a treaty with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, reducing its reservation from 10 million acres to 46,000 acres. The legal issues took decades to settle. One result was an act of Congress in 1904 that allotted 160 acres to tribal members willing to relocate 250 miles farther west. Trenton Indian Service Area is governed by an elected Board of Directors made up of seven members, six directors and a chairperson-at-large. Election of directors are held every four years and terms are staggered. TISA is located in Trenton, N.D., and its service area spans six counties in North Dakota and Montana.
