ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis suburb remains in the running for a controversial statue that features the Native American guide Sacagawea, but the fundraising drive to pay for its relocation is lagging, and Osage Nation representatives have urged the city to abandon the effort.
St. Charles officials submitted a proposal last month to Charlottesville, Virginia, for that city’s statue of explorers Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their Shoshone guide, Sacagawea. Charlottesville removed the bronze sculpture, titled Their First View of the Pacific, in July, along with statues of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, following protests. Critics say the Lewis and Clark statue depicts Sacagawea in a cowering or “subservient” position.
St. Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer has enthusiastically championed the effort to seek the statue, but last week downplayed the city’s chances to claim the sculpture.
“I don’t think we’re going to be a player for it,” he said. “To be honest with you, I took a position on it because I am totally against taking down statues and destroying history.”
Charlottesville began accepting proposals in August from cities or organizations willing to both fund its relocation and take steps to address the statue’s depiction of Sacagawea.
St. Charles, where the explorers’ party camped in 1804 before heading up the Missouri River, submitted one of seven proposals for the statue and is supporting a GoFundMe campaign to pay to move it if the city is chosen.
But, since the fundraiser launched Aug. 10, just 52 people have donated $3,885 toward the $50,000 goal to pay for the relocation. Borgmeyer has said taxpayer funds would not be used to acquire the statue.
St. Charles’ quest has supporters, including at least one descendant each of Clark and Sacagawea, who provided comments that the city included in its proposal.
Borgmeyer early last month sought to bolster that by seeking the backing of the Osage Nation, which has a historical connection to Missouri, but the request was rebuffed.
Norman Akers, chairperson of the Osage Nation’s Traditional Cultural Advisors committee, responded in a letter dated Aug. 24, saying the city instead should consider commissioning a new statue.
“The city of St. Charles would be perpetuating an outdated view of Native American women” by obtaining and displaying the Charlottesville statue, Akers said in the letter.
“The other issue is the city of Charlottesville, VA is selling, basically trying to get rid of the sculpture due (to) the controversy surrounding the artwork,” he wrote. “These concerns most likely will follow the statue to your city.”
Borgmeyer said in a city human relations commission meeting last month that he would “probably back off” if the Osage Nation wouldn’t support the effort, but he said Tuesday he had not personally received its response.
St. Charles included ideas for addressing the Sacagawea controversy in its proposal, such as a bronze plaque that could help explain and educate about her contributions to the Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery expedition.
The mayor said he anticipates a decision by Charlottesville in the next month, and that St. Charles has four locations where it could consider placing the statue.
Besides St. Charles, one other St. Louis-area proposal was among the submissions for the statue. Businessman Robert Hermann Jr., son of the late philanthropist and businessman Robert “Bob” Hermann, also submitted a proposal for the statue. A request to Hermann seeking comment was not returned.
Two other private entities also are in contention, as well as two nonprofit groups and a North Dakota tribal nation, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.
Charlottesville’s city manager did not return a request for comment on the process.
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