Visualizing the History of the University of Michigan’s Early Land Possessions
Inclusive History Project
The acquisition and sale of land played a crucial role in the early development of the University of Michigan, providing essential capital for the institution. Through Article XVI of the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs, the institution acquired nearly 2,000 acres from the Anishinaabe people of Michigan and used the proceeds from sales of that land to settle growing institutional debts. In the 1820s and 1830s, U-M drew on federal law to acquire an additional 44,666.83 acres across southern Michigan.
The 1817 Project research team created a visual report to contextualize U-M’s acquisition of land. The report visualizes the landholdings and links them to the treaties that dispossessed Indigenous people and made land available for purchase and settlement. This is the first of several resources the 1817 Project will publish to increase awareness of the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs and its relationship to the development of the University of Michigan.
