The Potawatomi tribe arrived in this area in 1846. At that time their reservation covered 900 square miles and was promised by treaty to be the Potawatomis' home for all time. However, by the end of the 1860s the reservation had been reduced to only 121 square miles. The National Indian Gaming Act of 1988, which provided for gaming casinos, has helped the tribe improve the infrastructure of the reservation and create job opportunities for tribal and nontribal individuals.