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The Gun Lake Tribe and Gun Lake Casino

History and culture

gun lake tribe gun lake casino wayland

The northeastern corner of Allegan County is home to the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi — better known as the Gun Lake Tribe — a federally recognized tribe whose people settled near Gun Lake, in the Bradley area, back in the 1830s. After a long effort, the tribe won federal recognition in 1999, and today its government and community are based here in Wayland Township.

The tribe’s best-known enterprise is the Gun Lake Casino, which opened in 2011 on tribal land just off US-131 between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. It has grown a lot since then — adding a hotel, restaurants, and entertainment — and it’s become one of the larger employers and economic engines in this part of the county.

If you’d like to visit: Gun Lake Casino is at 1123 129th Avenue in Wayland, off US-131 at Exit 61; you can find more at gunlakecasino.com.

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Wayland Township Allegan County Wayland Allegan County

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