Old Statue of Chief Bemidji to Be Moved into Storage at History Center

After celebrating 10 years of having the current Shaynowishkung statue at Library Park in Bemidji last Saturday, the Beltrami County Historical Society has announced they will be moving the old Chief Bemidji statue into its collection storage.

Discussions were had before the previous statue was removed, as many in the Bemidji area had concerns about how the statue portrayed Native American people. A committee was then formed to make plans for a new sculpture.

The old statue has been displayed at the Beltrami County History Center since then, but after Saturday’s ceremony, the History Center announced its move to storage.

“We made this choice to honor the purpose and meaning of the new statue in Library Park, allowing it to stand without competing voices,” said Beltrami County Historical Society Executive Director Emily Thabes on Saturday. “At the same time, we respect the complex history of those earlier works and the sincere intentions of the men who created them to honor Shaynowishkung.”

Access will still remain for those who wish to research the old statue and its layered history.