Grand Portage Band regains nearly 90 acres of tribal land in Minnesota

The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa marked the return of three land parcels totaling nearly 90 acres during a ceremony and community luncheon Monday, according to MPR News. Tribal officials said it is the largest return of Grand Portage land in recent history. The acquisition was funded by a $1.2 million grant from the Duluth-based Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, allowing the band to purchase the land from a related family trust. Chairman Robert Deschampe signed a proclamation declaring March 16, 2026, “Land Return Day.”

According to reporting by MPR News, the returned land includes 80 acres within the reservation, Francis Island in the Susie Islands on Lake Superior and a five-acre parcel known as Paradise Beach. Foundation officials said the grant followed a review of how the family’s wealth was tied to historic land acquisitions involving Grand Portage land. Tribal leaders said the return contributes to ongoing efforts to restore land lost through allotment policies.