After careful consideration and a great deal of discussion, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Council voted Wednesday, April 20, 2011, to accept conveyance of approximately eight acres of the former Mt. Pleasant Center and Michigan Industrial Indian Boarding School properties as well as the Mission Creek Cemetery. This approval came with the understanding that the Tribe would be able to secure an appropriate amount of set back property to successfully execute any plans to mitigate, improve, or develop the properties in the future.
Several months ago, Tribal Council assembled a team of elders, administrative staff, council members and various experts to research and assess the conveyance from the State of Michigan and offer their recommendations to Tribal Council. The research team looked at the viability of the six historic buildings involved, the condition of the cemetery property and stumbling blocks that could possibly impede the transfer. Dee Ann Bosworth, Senior Measurement and Evaluation Consultant with the University of Michigan, was retained to lead the research team and collect information from the Tribal community on their perspectives, along with information
on the relevant legal, environmental and historical considerations with regard to the properties.
Research reviewed by the team revealed that the entire 300+ acre area is adjacent to two known American Indian archeological sites. In addition, there is a possibility that as many as 116 children, who perished at the boarding school during its operational years, may be buried somewhere on site, as was common practice during that era. The Tribe reached out to City of Mt. Pleasant officials to discuss these concerns and share environmental information. During the discussions, the City of Mt Pleasant was gracious enough to extend an offer to work collaboratively with any future plans for further development of the entire 307 acre conveyance of the Mt Pleasant Center property.
Tribal Chief, Dennis Kequom, reflected back on the days when Tribal Members, including his grandmother attended the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School. "It would be nice to reestablish an educational component to that property. Many children who attended that facility were forgotten. Perhaps now we have an opportunity to create something that remembers their existence." The Tribal community is not sure what the future will hold for the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School and how best to revitalize the grounds. There is an overwhelming sense that action is needed, specifically doing something that reflects the historic significance of the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, what that means to Native American communities throughout Michigan and to those who have not yet heard this controversial chapter of American history.
(Official News Release here - PDF)