Should the city take down a statue? A dilemma, 17 years ago

In the year 2000, the fate of the “Hiawatha” statue in La Crosse’s Riverside Park was in the hands of a special study committee.  That group was trying to decide whether to repaint and fix the “Big Indian” built 40 years earlier by high school art teacher Anthony Zimmerhakl, or to remove it because Native Americans found it offensive.  One committee member was absent, and the others split evenly, 4 to 4, prompting a comparison to the disputed Bush-Gore presidential election that year.  The absent member was back for the next meeting, and the committee decided to repair Hiawatha.

The 2000 honorees for the annual Iverson-Freking community awards sounded like characters in a game of “Clue.”  Mr. White and Mr. and Mrs. Peacock were recognized by the Bethany St. Joseph organization.  Larry White, and Lyle and Myrna Peacock received the awards for their community volunteer work. 

In the late spring of 2000, movie fans were paying to see “Gladiator,” with Russell Crowe…the second “Mission: Impossible” film with Tom Cruise…and “Big Momma’s House.”  Seventeen years ago, yesterday in La Crosse.