The Pequot Bands

In 1651, the Mashantucket (Mushantuxet), also known as the Western Pequot, received a land grant of 500 acres at Noank (New London). In 1666, they received an additional parcel on the northwest side of Long Pond at present-day Ledyard. By 1720, they had relocated to the more productive Long Pond piece. In 1683, the

Paucatuck, or Eastern Pequot, also were given land, their parcel along the eastern shore of Long Pond in North Stonington, Connecticut. For a time, the Mashantucket were known as the Groton band, and the Paucatuck as the Stonington band. Over the next years, with ongoing pressures from non-Indian settlers around them, both bands lost much of their acreage. Some tribal members also resettled elsewhere, some at Schaghticoke (Scati-cook), founded by the Pequot Mahwee in the early 18 th century, becoming known as the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe. Others settled among a community of Mohegan at Trumbull, Connecticut, becoming known as the Golden Hill Pequot and Mohegan Tribes.

By the late 1800s, the Mashantucket and Paucatuck each held less than 250 acres. In the 1970s, the Mashan-tucket began seeking federal recognition and made land claims against the state of Connecticut. In 1983, the Mashantucket became federally recognized and won a cash settlement for their land losses. The Paucatuck have been unsuccessful in their attempts for recognition, largely due to the unwillingness of factions within the band to work together.