In this artwork, how is the Installation of the History elucidated?
In 1958, the city of La Crosse’s Chamber of Commerce commissioned art teacher Anthony Zimmerhakl to create a statue to be placed in Riverside Park. The Chamber of Commerce hoped that a monumental statue would draw tourism to the area. Zimmerhakl reportedly constructed the resulting 25-foot, 20-ton statue in his backyard near Weigent Park with the assistance of his sons.The city’s Board of Park Commissioners initially rejected the statue’s placement in Riverside Park in 1958. The board was not in opposition to the statue itself, but felt that it would “conflict with the essentially formal theme” of the park. They suggested that it instead be placed in Houska Park, though the city’s Tourist Publicity Committee largely ignored their proposal in favor of a more visible location for their tourist attraction. A 1994 thesis on revitalisation efforts of Riverside Park stated that the statue “detracts highly from the overall character of the park, developing an almost carnival-like feel to the area.”The statue was the subject of controversy even before it was formally erected. A committee meeting in September 1961 debated over naming the statue Hiawatha. Of concern to those at the meeting was the fact that Hiawatha had no ties to local Ho-Chunk and First Nation people; he was a member of the Mohawk people, historically based in the Mohawk River Valley in the state of New York. Proposals were made by city representatives and members of the local historical society to name the statue after a local indigenous leader, such as Waukon Decorah, Winnebago, Winneshiek, or Blackhawk. Unfortunately, the statue did not resemble local tribes in any way. The name was ultimately chosen because of its recognisability within western culture in the hopes of drawing the largest number of tourists.
Amid this naming controversy, the statue was erected in 1962. A plaque originally placed adjacent to the statue read:This Indian is symbolic of all the Indians of the area and is dedicated particularly to the braves of the Winnebagoes [sic]. Among the most famous were Chief Decorah and his son, Chief Winneshiek. La Crosse started as a trading post in Indian territory. Trail and river led to the prairie, a favorite gathering place for the Indians. The French named it Prairie La Crosse for a game they saw the Indians playing which reminded them of their own game of La Crosse [sic].[1]
La Crosse Ho-Chunk Mohawk River Mohawk people Hiawatha Anthony Zimmerhakl Mohawk River Valley Waukon Decorah Riverside Park