Map Showing the Location of the Indian Reservations within the Limits of the United States and Territories

Documenting the 19th century decline of Native American populations.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has been tasked with the management and administration of land granted to Native Americans since its official inception in 1824. Originally created to control the system of factories and trading posts on the frontier, the bureau evolved into a role overseeing the removal of Indians to lands west of the Mississippi.

The tragic and steady loss of those lands is displayed on maps issued by the BIA in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This 1885 edition was drafted by Paul Brodie under the authority of John D.C. Atkins, Commissioner for Indian Affairs. It was lithographed by the Norris Peters Company in Washington, D.C. and published by the Government Printing Office for inclusion in a congressional record.

The image highlights the ever-shrinking Indian reservations with an orange hue, each distinctly labeled and outlined. Relevant infrastructure like Indian agencies, military outposts, and railroads are noted according to the legend in the lower left. Inset maps (3 total) show sites in Alaska, the Mission Indian Reservations in California, and the northeastern tip of Indian Territory (soon to be open for white settlement).

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