Saint Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

Tribal Statistics

There are currently 1,054 St. Croix tribal members.

• 2,126 acres are tribally owned
• 2,563 acres are considered fee land
• St. Croix has trust land located in Barron, Burnett, and Polk Counties.
• Approximately 735 tribal members live on or near reservation, trust, or fee land

St. Croix is the largest employer in Burnett County and the 2nd largest employer in Barron County (Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development). They employ approximately 2,500 people.

Tribal Government

• The council meets monthly
• Decisions are made by a majority rule
• Elections are held every two years

Brief History

The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin were federally recognized in 1938. They have lived in what is present day Wisconsin for centuries. 

Tribal Services

• 22 officers
• Some officers participate in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department and the Barron County Sheriff’s Department
• Funded primarily with tribal funds, some discretionary federal grants, and Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance funds

• 2 judges
• The St. Croix court system handles cases such as tribal ordinances/commercial contract cases, housing evictions, Indian Child Welfare Act cases, and on/off reservation natural resource, fish and wildlife citations
• Funded by U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and tribal funds

• Siren School District (102 students/20% of the student body)
• Webster School District (126/16.8%)
• Unity School District (82/7.4%)
• Cumberland School District (58/4.9%)

(Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)

St. Croix operates a Head Start Program for Native American and non-Native American children ages 3 to 5. Funding comes from the federal Head Start Bureau with a 20% tribal match.

• Clinic services include: general health care, pharmacy, dental, optometry, podiatry, mental health, community health, maternal child health; Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs; Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) programs, and transportation services.

• Elders Advocate program
• Foster Grandparents and Senior Companion
• Tribal Historic Preservation
• Traditions Respecting American Indian Lifestyles (TRAILS)
• Child care program
• Head Start program
• Youth center program
• Indian Child Welfare Act program
• Family resources
• Alternatives to Violence
• AODA
• Food distribution
• Funded through a variety of tribal, state and federal monies

Economic Enterprises

• St. Croix employs approximately 2,500 people
• Government employment is 56% Native American and 44% non-Native American
• Enterprise employment is 25% Native American and 75% non-Native American