Historical Notes

The Chippewas were at one time part of a larger Band (later subdivided into the Chippewas of Kettle and Stoney Point and the Chippewas of Sarnia) who had occupied land on the northeastern shore of Lake Superior. They migrated to southwestern Ontario in the early 1700s to settle in the vicinity of Lake Huron, where they engaged in fishing, hunting and trapping. The Kettle Point reserve was established in 1819 and is one of four reserves set aside for the Chippewas following the Huron Tract Cessions of 1818. On July 10, 1827 the reserve was confirmed under the terms of Treaty No. 29. The Stoney Point reserve was also identified and set aside under the terms of Treaty No. 27 1/2 of 1825 and Treaty No. 29 of 1827. A number of Pottawatomi later migrated north from the United States and settled on the Stoney Point reserve.

In 1942, the federal government appropriated 2 240 acres of reserve land from Stoney Point for the creation of Camp Ipperwash, a Department of National Defence Canadian Forces Base.

Industries

Fifty percent of the work force is employed in the First Nation office or as homemakers. Local industries include: cottage lot rentals/leasing, small business -- variety stores, restaurants, trailer parks, marina, trucking/excavation, small engine repair, autobody shop, cabinet making, carpentry, septic tank installation, catering, fishing, arts and crafts, upholstery, and a commercial mall (scheduled to open in the spring of 1991).

Educational Facilities

Elementary

• Kettle Point Kindergarten, JK-K (provincially operated)
• grades 1-8 students bused to Forest

Secondary

• grades 9-12 students bused to Forest and Sarnia

Post-secondary

• adult classes offered on reserve through Lambton College

Community Services and Facilities

• fire hall
• one all-denominational church, one United and one Anglican church, Bethesda Bible School
• community park, community centre
• health clinic with a nurse and a Community Health Representative
• day care centre, counselling centre
• homemakers program
• Ontario First Nations Policing Arrangements -- four constables and two volunteers
• police station
• public works building

Communications

• access to major non-Native radio and television stations and newspapers is available to the community; telephone service is provided by Peoples Telephone (independant) which contracts Bell Canada
• newspapers NATIVEBEAT

Utilities

• water - reservoir feeds water main system with pumping station and chlorination treatment facility
• sewage - septic tanks, rotating biological contractor (RBC) unit
• other waste - garbage storage building, landfill site (due to close in 1991); solid waste trucked to Watford landfill site
• energy/electricity - Ontario Hydro