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The Statue of Hiawatha was a monument located at Riverside Park in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The statue was created by Anthony Zimmerhakl and overlooked the convergence of three rivers at Riverside Park: the Mississippi River, Black River, and the La Crosse River.
It had been built with the intention of drawing tourism to the area and was based on a fictionalized version of Hiawatha, a 16th-century Native American chief who had no connection to local tribes. Long standing public debate about whether the statue was offensive or presented a caricature based on stereotypes of Native Americans eventually led to its removal in 2020, nearly 60 years after it was erected.
La Crosse Hiawatha Mississippi River Anthony Zimmerhakl La Crosse, Wisconsin Riverside Park Wisconsin La Crosse River Black River