Before European Contact
The Minnesota and Mississippi River Valleys have been home to the Dakota for centuries. The existence of our ancestors was sustained by their relationship with the earth and their surroundings. For generations, Dakota families fished from the rivers, gathered rice from area lakes, hunted game on the prairies and in the river valley woodlands, and established villages along the riverbanks and surrounding lakes. Our ancestors lived in harmony with the world around them, and Dakota culture flourished.

In the 1640s, the first recorded non-Indian contact with the Dakota took place. For the next 200 years, our ancestors tolerated the presence and ever increasing numbers of non-Indians encroaching on their homelands.

The Treaty and Reservation Era
Beginning in 1805, a series of treaties forced on the Dakota Nation would take away their homeland, destroy their ability to provide for themselves, and create an increasing reliance upon the U.S. government's promises for payments and goods. For the next several decades, missionaries, fur traders, Indian agents, and the U.S. government all worked to change the culture of the Dakota and eradicate the Dakota Nation. Finally, in 1862, the Dakota could no longer allow this mistreatment. Our ancestors battled for their homelands, their way of life, their culture. The events of 1862 ended with the largest mass execution in United States history when 38 Dakota were hanged at Mankato.

Aftermath of The Dakota War
As a result of the Dakota boldness in standing up for their rights, the United States Congress abrogated all treaties with our ancestors and decided that the Dakota had to be removed from Minnesota. The majority of Dakota were sent on barges to Crow Creek, South Dakota, in 1863, and eventually removed to Santee, Nebraska. Other Dakota traveled to Canada and settled there. Some Dakota never left their homeland. Those Dakota who remained in Minnesota spent many impoverished years attempting to gain support and help from the federal government. Generations of our ancestors experienced U.S. government control, Indian boarding schools, and little opportunity for success. Strong Dakota communities eventually developed at Lower Sioux, Prairie Island, Upper Sioux, and Shakopee.

Twentieth Century Life
After years of persistence, the Bureau of Indian Affairs finally gave the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community federal recognition in 1969, and the Community began the difficult process of creating a government and economic system that would support its members. The struggle for economic security was difficult, and there were many obstacles. Life on the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community was like that on many other reservations. Deficient government policies had left us with dirt roads, inadequate housing, and few prospects for a better future for our children. Health care, educational opportunities, and steady employment on the reservation seemed only to be a dream. During the early 1970s, Community members depended on food subsidies, and low paying jobs were the norm. But Mdewakanton Dakota families did not give up. Through a number of tribal initiatives, members created a health care program, a childcare facility, and a home improvement program.

The Arrival of Indian Gaming
Then in 1982, life changed dramatically. Tribal Chairman Norman Crooks (father of current Chairman Stanley Crooks) and other Community members heard about the success of high-stakes bingo in Florida. They saw the opportunity and opened the Little Six Bingo Palace on October 16, 1982. The future began to look brighter. Busloads of people began arriving, and gaming was a success like no other. Tribal government services grew, jobs were created, and opportunities for the tribe and its members increased. Then in 1984 video slots were added at Little Six Casino. Mystic Lake Casino followed in 1992. During the 1990s the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community continued its transformation from an economically distressed reservation to one of the most economically successful Indian tribes in the United States. In this new era of self-sufficiency, the Community was able to use its inherent sovereign rights and growing economy to purchase additional lands and to radically improve its economic base.

Twenty-First Century
To protect tribal interests, diversification was made a priority, and enterprises were developed which provide services to the larger community. Dakotah! Sport and Fitness enabled thousands of local residents to enjoy increased good health by using its facilities. The Shakopee Dakota Convenience Store (SDCS) provides fuel, groceries, and a car wash. The Dakota Mall houses enterprises like the SDCS, a travel agency, and a credit union. Playworks is a one-of-a kind facility for families and children. Dakotah Meadows RV Park has 119 paved, pull-through RV sites with electric, water, and sewer hook ups and six tipis for overnight rental. A hotel was added at Mystic Lake Casino as an added service for guests and to help make Mystic Lake Casino a destination resort. Today, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel is known as one of the largest and most successful Indian-owned casinos in the United States and is one of the largest tourist attractions in the Upper Midwest.

All through the 1990s the infrastructure of the Community went through major improvements, with new sewer and water systems and roads. New subdivisions offered major changes in housing for Community members. The natural surroundings were improved with major tree plantings and wetland and prairie restorations.

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community continues its infrastructure improvements and growth in the new century. Since 2000 the Community has dedicated the Tiowakan Spiritual Center and Community Cemetery, completed second and third hotel towers, opened a storage and archival facility, completed the Playworks LINK Event Center, opened The Buffet at Mystic Lake, opened a Mystic Lake retail store at The Mall of America, and completed Phase III and Phase IV at Dakotah Meadows RV Park. The Community has completed construction of new parking ramps, built Dakotah Parkway, and opened a new championship golf course, The Meadows at Mystic Lake. In 2001 the SMSC developed a professional fire department called Mdewakanton Emergency Services. The department now responds to an average of 200 calls a month and provides mutual aid to area departments upon request.

In 2006 a state-of-the-art Water Reclamation Facility was completed which utilizes biologically aerated filter technology to treat water for reuse as irrigation for the golf course. The building also houses the largest Green Roof in the Midwest, over 30,000 square feet containing more than 45,000 plants.

Ground was broken in the fall of 2007 for an innovative venture to generate electricity using agricultural byproducts. Called Koda Energy this environmentally friendly project is a joint venture with Rahr Malting of Shakopee. Waste from malting and food processing will be burned to generate electricity. Considerably cleaner than a coal plant, this "green" biomass energy generation project will some day be able to provide energy for all Community needs with excess available to sell to others. Koda Energy will be operational by December 2008.

Construction began in January 2007 to relocate Little Six Casino across the parking lot to the original site of Little Six Bingo. It was there the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community first introduced High Stakes Bingo and Indian Gaming to Minnesota October 16, 1982, changing life for the Community dramatically.

Little Six Casino remained open without interruption while the new facility was under construction. The new structure was completed in 2007, and opened in December. As for the existing Little Six Casino, the tipi structure was retained for government use.

The success of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's enterprises has allowed the Community to create and provide numerous education, health, and social service programs for Community members, staff, and Native Americans living in Scott County.