The Osage Indians had wisely held on to their mineral rights following the dissolution of the reservation system, and the royalties from the oil underneath the hills made them one of the richest tribes in the nation.
Due to their foresight, the Osage Indians kept control of their mineral rights following the end of the reservation system. This allowed them to profit significantly from the oil found beneath their land, making them among the wealthiest Native American tribes in the United States.