The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians are located in the northwestern section of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, 23 miles north of Traverse City in Leelanau County. In 1998 the tribal land base consisted of 450 acres of trust lands as well as recently purchased additional tribal lands. They received their federal recognition in 1980 and were the first tribal group to do so under the conditions of the Tribal Federal Acknowledgement Process adopted by the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1998.They adopted their tribal constitution, bylaws and corporate charter on February 24, 1998. The constitution was not generic but specific in nature, unlike most of the tribal constitutions developed for the most part by the federal government for adoption pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and adopted by most tribes during the mid 1930’s. Their service area includes the reservation and a six county area adjacent to Leelanau County. The Grand Traverse Band was the 7th tribe to join the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan.