In the 19th century, especially, the Potawatomi people and closely related tribes of
Odawa and Ojibwe peoples of the Anishinaabe were affiliated as the
Council of Three Fires. All these peoples were highly decentralized and bands operated independently. During the 17th and 18th centuries, numerous bands moved into what is now Michigan. The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi signed a treaty with the United States to cede much of its land in 1820, and was assigned a smaller portion of land as its reservation. It is located at in
Athens Township in southwestern
Calhoun County. In the 20th century, the 1934
Indian Reorganization Act was intended to encourage tribes to set up self-government. The nine historic bands of Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi in Michigan were not covered by this act and later had to achieve federal recognition or reaffirmation as tribes independently, a process that continues. The band organized to regain self-government, gaining reaffirmation of its status as a tribe in 1995 by Congressional legislation. Their homeland headquarters are in
Wakeshma Township, near
Athens, in the southwestern region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. This is about 17 miles southwest of
Battle Creek (about 22 miles by vehicle route). Athens Township is within the major city's metropolitan area. The Band also maintains satellite offices in
Grand Rapids, about 74 miles north of Fulton/Athens. The service area of the tribe includes the reservation as well as members living in Kalamazoo,
Calhoun,
Ottawa,
Kent and
Allegan counties. == Government ==