After debate, Native American statue returns to Wisconsin village's main street

A larger-than-life-size statue of a Native American chief that had been removed from the main street in Osceola, Wis., during the demolition of a nearby building was recently reinstalled after a wrenching local debate about history, racism and the meaning of symbols.

The Village Board said people should keep talking — it will form a new committee on Osceola's heritage at next month's board meeting to do some of that work — but at a packed Village Hall this month, locals weighed in with passionate and often personal reasoning about the chief statue.

"I am humbled by the responsibility that's placed on this board," Village Board President Brad Lutz said after listening to two hours of public comment.

The chief traces a long history in Osceola, home of the Chieftains high school sports teams. The village, about an hour northeast of the Twin Cities, shares its name with Osceola, a Seminole Indian leader from the early 1800s. Images of Native American men are seen on the high school football team's helmets, the school district's website and on shoulder patches worn by local police.

The statue was owned by local businesswoman Ceil Neidermire and originally stood outside her shop on Cascade Street, which functions as Osceola's main street. It was eventually moved to a different location on Cascade Street closer to Cascade Falls, a popular spot with tourists.

The debate about whether it should be there at all came about by the most routine of occurrences: a broken water pipe. The leaking water damaged the foundation of a longtime village business, the Wisconsin Milk House, and an inspection in late 2021 determined the building had to be razed. The statue was moved in April for its own protection during the building's demolition.

Jackie Neidermire, Ceil's neice, started a Facebook page in support of returning the chief to his spot along Cascade Street, and the Village Board took up the matter at its Oct. 10 meeting. Jackie Neidermire, speaking to the board, said the comments on her Facebook page were nearly 98% or 99% in favor of seeing the chief reinstalled.

"The people of Osceola want him back," she said.

Speaking to the Village Board, local business owner Paul Anderson said he wanted to see the chief returned, adding he was confused that it had even come to a debate.

"Why has it gone this far?" he asked the board.

Local resident Chrystal Johnson told the board that she grew up as one of the only people of color in her rural community of Long Prairie, Minn., where in the early 1990s the school changed its mascot from the Indians to the Thunder. Saying she opposed the statue's return, she made a plea that people keep their neighbors in mind when talking about it.

"What makes small communities meaningful is that we listen to each other and we support each other in times of need," she said.

A round of debates over Indian mascots in Wisconsin more than a decade ago led to a new state law requiring any complaint be accompanied by a petition with signatures from at least 10%of the people living in the school district.

Across the river in Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz signed a law earlier this year that bans any public schools from having nicknames, logos or mascots tied to Native Americans.

No one at the Oct. 10 meeting asked that the high school mascot be changed, but many spoke about their connection to the mascot, the Chieftain. Business owner Sue Rawlings said the statue is an historic piece of art that should be preserved and displayed. "I grew up as an Osceola Chieftain, and I'm proud of that," Rawlings said.

After taking in everyone's comments, the Village Board voted 4-0 to reinstall the statue while also creating the Osceola Heritage Committee to keep talking about the issues raised by the chief's presence.

Lutz said Osceola "doesn't move at the speed of social media" and believes more conversation is needed. Lutz said the village has already started to talk with a local Native American tribe and that "we've had nothing but enthusiastic response." He could not be reached for further comment.

Speaking to the sometimes contentious debate, Village Board Member Neil Kline urged people to stay kind.

"Don't talk to people on Facebook, talk to them in real life," he said. "I really believe that small towns are a place where democracy can work."