Between the Lakes 1784
Aboriginal peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Metis) lived on this land for millennia before European settlers came for means of exploration and colonization. Before Europeans traveled to North America, first nations people inhabited the Ontario region, including the Iroquoian-speaking, Huron, Tionontati, and Erie peoples of the south and the Algonquian-speaking, Ojibwa, Algonquin, and Cree peoples of the north.
The Between the Lakes Treaty (No. 3) was negotiated in 1784 and updated in 1792. The Treaty, between the Mississaugas of the Credit and the British Crown, covered approximately 3 million acres between Lakes Erie, Huron and Ontario. The amount paid was 1,180 pounds worth of trade goods.
Today, multiple urban centres exist on the Between the Lakes Treaty territory, including Hamilton, Waterloo, St. Catharines and Guelph. The present-day reserves for both the Mississauga of the Credit and Six Nations exist within the original Haldimand Tract.
According to the Haldimand Proclamation of October 25, 1784, Five Hundred and Fifty thousand acres (out of the 3 million total) were granted to Haudenosaunee who were loyal to the crown. The original tract consisted of 6 miles on both sides of the Grand River (Ouse).
The Townships of Pilkington (part of Block 3) and Nichol (Block 4) were part of this original tract. Pilkington was part of Woolwich Township until 1851.
This map dated March 10, 1792 shows the land purchased in 1784 from the Mississauga First Nations.
the lands purchased in yellow; the settlement proposed on Lake Huron is pink; and Brant’s grant included in red dots. [I have emphasized the colours on this copy]
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