On August 8, 1921, the LCO Tribe was forced to enter into an agreement with Xcel Energy (then the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light and Power Company) which allowed the power company to completely flood all the homes and other community buildings that constituted Post, destroying not just buildings but wild rice beds and other life sustaining vegetation, access roads, and the habitat of the animals relied upon by the tribe for sustenance.
Xcel wanted this area to build a dam which would generate electricity for towns and cities downstream. What Xcel promised in return was far from a fair bargain. These promises included rebuilding tribal homes in another community chosen by Post residents, annual rental of the land that was flooded and reinternment of the relatives of Post residents who had been buried in the old village.
We know today that Xcel did not honor its promises and left Post residents without a way to feed their families, without adequate shelter, and without the important support afforded by community members who looked out for one another. The lease to Xcel, originally signed in 1921 and renewed February 1, 1984, expires in December 2021. The LCO Tribe has an opportunity to return control of that land, now under-water, back to the band.
The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Library and Museum and Visitor Center/Kinnamon School are preparing programs and displays to educate the public about what transpired 100 years ago. In the coming months, the staff will sponsor public programs to raise awareness of what occurred as a result of the creation of the Winter Dam and also to honor the residents of Post who fought relentlessly to retain what rightfully belonged to the tribe. We encourage those who are interested in learning more to visit the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Library or Kinnamon School.
If you have photos of Post, please bring them to the College Library or Kinnamon School to be scanned. Contact Caryl Pfaff, Library Director at pfaff@lco.edu or 715-634-4790 ext. 108 with questions.
Partial funding for this project provided through the Institute of Museum and Library Services